The music that you make
by Ria Sakazaki
Summary: Complete!...It's a new world, it's a new start. It's alive with the beating of the youngs hearts...it's an OhtoriRyoma pairing. Other pairing: RYoTEzYukiAto, FujiTez and many moreARIGATOU MINNASAN!
1. the warrior is a child

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Tell me what you think about it. Then I'll decide if this will be a one-shot or not. Oh and there's also a little Tezu/Ryo.

Disclaimer: usual….don 't own the song, "Warrior is a Child" but it was a song dedicated to my favorite local pop idol when he died last 1998 and thousands went to his burial. TT

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics.

NOTE: Ohtori's a bit OC in the beginning. I'm using his love for music as the basis of his well, being out of character.

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It was a very busy Saturday morning in downtown Tokyo. A lot of people are busy doing their shopping to and fro the place and the noise is escalating by the minute.

Ohtori sighed as he stood outside his favorite shop: Great Harmony Ltd. It's not the kind of shop a Hyotei student would hang out. It's very simple and boring if you put it that way but he likes it. Here he can ogle at the brand new pianos on display and gaze up dreamily on the pricey violins. Oh sure he does have a baby grand and a classic violin in his possession but,

"I just can't help but lust over the brand new ones." He muttered to himself as he stared up at a brand new violin that's on display. 'At least I have this morning off. It's nice to be away from the team. Atobe-buchou became more annoying after we lost to Seigaku.' He mused as he checked out the new grand piano on display.

"Good morning, sir. It's nice to see you again." The clerk greeted him cheerfully. Ohtori smiled at him and bowed politely.

"It's nice to see you too Sir. You have impressive new arrivals." He courtly replied.

"Very true. Actually…" and the salesman started chatting about their new products. Ohtori on the other hand drifted into another dreamy state as he caressed the shiny, black grand piano, not actually listening to what the older man was saying.

"Aherm." The older man cleared his throat when he noticed that no one's listening to his rant. Ohtori snapped back into reality.

"I'm really sorry. My head just wandered off wile I was touching his grand. It's so exquisite."

The tall boy apologized.

"Oh you're not the only one. A lot of customers have been admiring that beauty every since it arrived last week. We only have two of them in stock. The other one is used for testing. You know, customers today really prefer quality." The clerk explained. This got Ohtori's attention.

"For testing? Oh really…" he murmured. Then suddenly the tall boy hit euphoria. 'It means I can try playing it! Oh this must be my lucky day!'

"Oh yes and we have found the perfect musician that can actually play-test the instruments. God, for such a young age he can play various musical instruments." The clerk chirped in. Ohtori stared at him in disbelief.

"Nani!"

"Eh?"

"Are you telling me that you have an official demo person? Are you telling me that the customers are not the ones checking the quality personally?" he fired one question after another at the poor clerk. He advanced on the older man, thanking the heavens for his height. 'I have to try this piano!'

"W-well only part-time. He came here last week wanting to have his grand be fixed. He too fell in love with this piano and asked if he can try playing a piece. We also have some customers that time and they fell in love with him the moment he started playing. We sold two of this baby at once." The clerk explained nervously.

Ohtori snapped back into reality and apologized profusely to the clerk.

"So you mean he's THAT good?" he asked when he calmed down. That moment he started to hear a faint sound of a piano.

"Yup. Not only that he can play the piano expertly, he can also play the guitar and other similar string instruments. In fact, he's here right now. He's checking up on the grand that he asked us to fix in place of being our demo person for the mean time." The clerk told him while leading him slowly towards a door.

"Really?" the tall boy asked skeptically.

"I guess you're more of the to-see-is-to-believe type of guy, huh? Believe me, he's a musical genius. Not only that, he's just a kid." The older man said as he ushered the Hyotei regular towards the door from which the music seems to be originating.

"A kid? How old?" Ohtori asked. 'Now this is interesting.' He silently added.

"I don't know, around 10-12 yrs. old. See for yourself." He said and opened the door for the tall boy.

Strings of beautiful melody greeted the soft-spoken boy when he entered the small but well-lit room. There are chairs inside the room, 'for the audience I guess' he added mentally and there in the middle stood a shiny grand piano of the same model of the one he was lusting after.

He took another step towards the center, catching a glimpse of the pianist who doesn't seem to notice his presence. The person just kept on playing.

'Wow…he IS good.' Ohtori thought as he listened to the melody being played. 'What piece is this? I've never heard of it before.' He added.

He went closer and closer and soon he found himself agreeing with the clerk that the infamous pianist is just a kid. One more step and he was towering over the piano, eyes widened in utter disbelief, his jaw dropped down in awe and was speechless as Ryoma Echizen kept his fingers skimming through the piano keys with ease.

Ryoma kept his eyes closed as he started playing a new melody. He let all the tension, all his frustrations go as he let his muscles relax to the music that he is making. He can feel the tension knots on the back of his neck and his shoulders unraveling with every note his fingers produce. He's been through hell these past couple of weeks starting from Tezuka's departure to his upcoming match against Rikkai.

Tezuka's trip to Germany put the end to their whirlwind secret romance. Oh yeah sure Tezuka told him not to be careless and to defeat Sanada and to take care of himself but that doesn't erase the pain he felt when he saw his Fuji-sempai making out with his lover the day Momo-sempai rejoined the club.

'Stupid pain…stupid love…' he mused as he let his emotions flow from his battered heart to his fingers, creating an enchanting, yet poignant music.

'Stupid Sanada for beating the crap out of me…stupid Oyaji for being a pervert…stupid, stupid me for being weak…'

The melody escalated into a higher notch.

'God he's beautiful!' Ohtori was trapped in a world of fantasy Ryoma and his music made. He clenched his fists in an attempt to suppress the unknown emotion that the freshman evoked deep with in him. He stood there, frozen in awe. That's what Ryoma did to him by just playing. What more could happen to him if the freshman took his music into another level?

'This must be heaven… but what a way to die.' The tall boy was bemused. 'No. he can't possible do THAT. From what I've heard during our game, I don't think he can hit a note.' He added.

But then again…this impetuous freshman proved him wrong.

_Lately I've been winning battles left and right._

_But even winners can get wounded in a fight._

Ryoma put all of his anguish in every word of the song, hoping it'll fade immediately like the way a note fades after you played the next one.

Ohtori can feel the chills ran up his spine. The moment the freshman started singing he has fallen, fallen hard. 'It's not just the piano, not just the talent…Kami-sama! What is this that I feel?' Those words that escaped from those soft lips seemed to hammer his heart with every bit of sadness it signifies.

_People say that I'm amazing; I'm strong beyond my years._

_But they don't see inside of me, I'm hiding all the tears. _

'When will the hurting stop? When?' Ryoma thought bitterly as the memory of his lover's betrayal flashed through his head once more. 'When will it stop?'

Ohtori soon noticed that his whole body was trembling with raw emotions that the freshman oh so casually awakened inside of him. His knuckles turned white as he tried to maintain his composure. 'This is what beyond that smirk is…beyond the façade...beyond those sparkling eyes…' he silently concluded. His eyes are temporarily glued to the figure in front of him, a figure full of restrained sadness.

_They don't know that I come running home when I fall down._

_They don't know who lifts me up when no one is around._

_I drop my sword and cry for just a while._

'_Cause deep inside this armor,_

_The warrior is a child._

The melody then dropped back to the first pattern creating another wave of soulful notes. That moment Ryoma decided to open his eyes. He blinked a couple of times upon realizing that he has an audience, someone he never expected to be his. All the while his fingers did not stop its rhythmic movements despite the fact that it took him a couple of seconds to absorb the realization that it is Ohtori Choutarou that is standing before him.

Ohtori did not break the heated eye contact he has with Ryoma. His breathing became ragged, his heart thumping harder against his chest. Every word of the song slowly strips the façade Ryoma has put up, slowly baring his hidden personality, making him vulnerable to Ohtori's presence. Yet…he did not falter, he did not stop playing and run off. He just continued playing with his eyes locked with Ohtori's all the time.

_Unafraid because his armor is the best;_

_But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest._

'Damn you Sanada for beating the crap out of me earlier…damn limitations…damn…damn.' Ryoma kept repeating these words mentally as he started the chorus once again.

_People say that I'm amazing, I never face retreat._

_But they don't see the enemies that lay me at His feet._

'Rikkai…' Ohtori mentally concluded, quite sure that the freshman is now pertaining to their upcoming opponent.

_They don't know that I come running home when I fall down._

_They don't know who lifts me up when no one is around._

_I drop my sword and cry for just a while._

'_Cause deep inside this armor,_

_The warrior is a child._

Ohtori was breathless when his saw Ryoma's golden eyes shimmered with unshed tears. 'Why do you do this? Why did you choose to reveal your vulnerable self to me?' he sadly mused, 'isn't this supposed to be your friends' job? Or rather I say, Tezuka-san's?'

Ryoma closed his eyes as the melody reached the bridge. He doesn't want to see Ohtori's reaction upon seeing his weakness. He bit his lip as a solitary tear escaped from his eyes. 'I can't do this…I can't…'

Ohtori gritted his teeth when he saw a tear trickled down the freshman's pale cheeks. He felt a surprising amount of anger towards the person that caused this angel's misery. 'Is it Tezuka-san? You look up to him. You admire him. I saw it in your eyes during his game with Atobe-buchou.' Ohtori silently asked Ryoma, as if he's reading his very soul. 'No…you don't just admire him. There's something more to it…something more powerful. Are you crying because he did not recognize your feelings?' he can feel his nails digging deeply into his palms and yet he ignored the pain. He took a deep breath before daring his thoughts to ask the freshman a question he's sure he wouldn't be able to ask in real life.

'If you'd let me…would you let me ease the pain that you're feeling?'

_I drop my sword and looked up for His smile._

'_Cause deep inside this armor…_

'Go away…you don't have to see me this way. Please go…' Ryoma silently pleaded. He doesn't have enough courage to open his eyes and look deep into Ohtori's hazel eyes once more.

Realization dawned on Ohtori. The raw emotion that the freshman evoked within him is now very clear. It is need. It is desire. The tall boy became conscious of his desire to have some sort of physical contact with this surreal creature in front of him. Even just a little heat… the truth is overpowering his whole being, the truth that he wants to protect this lonely angel from all the pain, from all the spite the world lashes upon him.

He wants to be the glue that will make Ryoma whole again. With his music, he bet he can. He didn't realize that his body was moving on its own. He pushed all his anxieties away, this time letting himself drown completely into the music that the freshman is making.

'_Cause deep inside this armor…_

Ryoma jolted a little when he felt a pair of strong arms encircling his body and drawing him towards a comforting heat. 'No…let go before it's too late!' the thought ran urgently in his head but his body was of a different entity that moment. He took a deep breath and surrendered to the warmth and comfort the taller boy is offering him.

_The warrior is a child…._

The music has long ended but neither would want to move an inch. They seem content with the silence that engulfed them after that moving performance.

"Uh….hi?" a hoarse voice broke their calm.

"Hello." arms hugged him tighter. "The music that you make is so profound. My name's Choutarou," gold met gold in a smoldering gaze. "What's yours?"

A smile, "Ryoma…my name is Ryoma Echizen."

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A/N: What do you think? Hehehehehehehehehehe….very unusual….very, very unusual… tell me if you want a continuation. Oh by the way, the name of the artist is Gary Valenciano. Try listening to the song…you'll be moved.

P/S: flames are most humbly welcomed…AND SO ARE GOOD REVIEWS! Thanks!


	2. crash and burn

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. This is actually the cont. from "Warrior is a Child". This time it's Ohtori who's playing…. you can also see glimpse of Tezu/Ryo.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Crash and Burn". Savage Garden does. It's a very good song, I fell in love with it the first time I heard saw it in MTV™.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics.

NOTE: Ryoma might appear OC in this one. Ohtori's back to his caring self in this snippet.

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The sky resembled a bloody palette by the time Seigaku tennis club dismissed. It's been two days after they've won the Kantou Tournaments and the euphoric feeling hasn't died down a bit, well for most of the club members. You can count a certain freshman out. His attitude for the passed weeks showed minimal changes. He shows his usual smirk but no more smiles, no more play time for O'chibi. He treats the occasional glomps from Kikumaru and Momo with sheer indifference. He became a walking block of ice. The ice melts down into furious boiling water whenever he's with Fuji though.

He tried his best to act the same. He knew he must give justice to his sempai for the latter has no knowledge of his relationship with Tezuka. 'He's just the oblivious third-party… he's just the oblivious third-party…' Ryoma kept repeating this is his head every time he converses with the tensai.

Nobody noticed this pain Ryoma is experiencing, which made the freshman sulk even more. He couldn't blame anyone for his pain; for he was the one who insisted that he and Tezuka should keep their relationship a secret.

"Did you receive a message from Tezuka? I got one yesterday. He said he's very proud and that he's having progress in his treatment program." He heard Inui spoke to the regulars.

"Me too!" Momo gleefully said. Another painful lash of pain hit his heart.

'So you sent them all messages except for me, Kunimitsu. How very thoughtful of you. And you probably gave your tensai boyfriend that most coveted phone call.' The freshman gloomy thought. 'Am I that easy to forget?'

"So probably everyone got something from Tezuka." Oishi concluded.

"He called yesterday." Fuji said with a faint blush on his cheeks. "Aww that's so sweet!" Kikumaru teased and glomped at the tensai.

Ryoma gritted his teeth forcefully. He pulled his cap lower to hide the anger eminent in his eyes. He was about to walk away when his felt his cell phone vibrating inside his bag.

"Mada mada dane, senpai-tachi." With this he walked away with his phone in hand and Tezuka's name flashing on the screen.

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_When you feel all alone_

_And the world has turned its back on you_

_Give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart_

"Ohtori is surely a musical genius." Gakuto muttered to Oshitari. The Hyotei regulars stopped by the music room to watch Ohtori practice. Shishido was just smiling and enjoying the music his doubles partner was making while Atobe sat next to their coach, Sakaki-sensei who is the music teacher was well.

Oshitari just shrugged his shoulders. He wouldn't admit it openly but Ohtori can sure sing a note properly.

"You're doing great Choutarou." Shishido cheered on.

"He just keeps on getting better and better." Sakaki-sensei muttered to Atobe. The latter just raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe."

On the other hand, Ohtori was oblivious to the crowd listening to him. His very thoughts are focused to one person only and that person is no other than Ryoma. He dedicated the song to the freshman for he wants to be the ONE Ryoma would turn to.

'Are you ok now? If I go to the music shop after this would you be there?' these are things that are messing with his brain right now.

_I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you_

_It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold_

_When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore_

'You are the best Choutarou.' Shishido mused as the tall boy continued to amaze them with his voice and music.

_Let me be the one you call_

_If you jump I'll break your fall_

_Lift you up and fly away with you into the night_

_If you need to fall apart_

_I can mend a broken heart_

_If you need to crash then crash and burn_

_You're not alone_

"Sugoi, Ohtori-kun!" Jiroh suddenly screamed in the background, surprising everyone. Ohtori's fingers abruptly stopped due to the interruption.

"Yeah right Akutagawa thanks a lot." Shishido hissed.

"Alright that's enough. We'll do this again tomorrow Ohtori-kun. You can all go home now." Sakaki-sensei waved and exited the room.

"What do we do now?" Gakuto asked. "I don't want to go home yet."

"Let's crash Atobe's house." Jiroh suggested.

"When you say crash you usually mean you'll just sleep all the time we're there." Oshitari told him. Atobe stood up and motioned Kabaji to carry his things.

"Sounds terrif. Let's go."

Ohtori scrambled to get his things when he noticed Ryoma's name flashing on the screen of his phone. "You go right ahead, senpai-tachi." he went to the corner to answer the phone.

"Moshi!" his heart thumping hard against his chest.

"Ohtori-senpai…" a hoarse voice came to his ear.

Ohtori glanced consciously at his seniors who are already clearing the room. "Don't take too long Choutarou." Shishido called out before leaving with the rest.

"D-daijobou desu ka, Echizen-kun? Is everything ok?" he asked worried.

"I-I need… I mean…c-can you come and fetch me?"

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"Don't worry. I know the place. I'll be right there."

'CLICK!' and the line went dead. Ryoma hung his head lowly as he finally let his tears fall.

Flashback

"_Buchou." Ryoma said._

"_Good job Echizen. You've really improved. I'm really proud of you." Tezuka said. Ryoma pulled his cap lower to hide any signs of tears welling up his eyes from the passers-by._

"_Thanks. It's nice for you to call. You could've just texted me or something." The freshman bit his lips, not quite sure if Tezuka noticed the spite in his voice._

"_Ano…Ryo…I mean…"_

"_It's Echizen now Buchou."_

_There was a long silence from the other line. "Ryoma…I'm so happy for you and I'm sorry…"_

_A solitary tear finally escaped from his golden eyes. Ryoma fought back a sob. "Don't sweat, Buchou. And besides, you don't owe me an apology. I won't be able to eat it so why bother?" _

"_Look…" Tezuka sighed._

"_I'm really glad that you called Buchou. I appreciate the trouble. I defeated Sanada just as I promised you I would, being the Pillar of Seigaku. I kept my word—"_

"_Ryoma…listen to me—"_

"_Stop…Tezuka... don't say another word. Please…" with this he hang up and ran as fast as he could towards an empty, secluded park._

End of Flashback

"How…could…you?" Ryoma muttered in between sobs. He felt the invisible hand clutching his heart grew tighter by the minute that he just wanted it to explode into millions of tiny indistinguishable pieces. Hearing Tezuka's apology felt like having a big boulder crash upon you ten times. "How could…you do…this to me?"

He hugged his knees closer to his chest and sobbed his heart out. In his head, memories of him and Tezuka kept flashing randomly; their first date, their first hug, the kiss, the fun, love-filled tennis matches, and the first time they made love… Ryoma hugged his knees tighter, trying to douse the extreme pain in his heart.

"Echizen-kun! Where are you?" Ohtori's voice echoed into the still night's air. Ryoma's head snapped up only to see the tall Hyotei sophomore in front of him, panting.

"Echizen-kun…" gulps of air.

"Ohtori-senpai…" the freshman choked out as fresh tears flowed down his cheeks. The taller boy slowly walked towards the sobbing freshman. "I'm sorry to bother you, senpai. It's just…it's just that…"

Ohtori took a deep breath and kneeled in front of the distressed boy. He held his arms wide and took Ryoma in his warm embrace.

_When you feel all alone_

_And a loyal friend is hard to find_

_You're caught in a one way street_

_With the monsters in your head_

The freshman was unable to hold back anymore and dissolved into fits of sobs in Ohtori's arms. He was clutching hard on his senpai's shirt with his tears soaking it at the same time.

_When hopes and dreams are far away and_

_You feel like you can't face the day_

"It hurts so much…Ohtori-senpai…I don't know what to do anymore…"

Ohtori softly caressed Ryoma's back to soothe his grief. His arms tightened around the young boy who now looked so weak, so fragile. The Echizen that he knew was very different from the one weeping in his arms right now.

_Let me be the one you call_

_If you jump I'll break your fall_

_Lift you up and fly away with you into the night_

_If you need to fall apart_

_I can mend a broken heart_

_If you need to crash then crash and burn_

_You're not alone_

Ohtori took Ryoma in his arms and sat on the bench. The darkness of the night completely engulfed them, hiding them from the prying eyes of the world. Ryoma cries soon died down to occasional sobs but still he kept his head buried in his senpai's tear-soaked chest.

_When you feel all alone_

_And the world has turned its back on you_

_Give me a moment please_

_To tame your wild, wild heart…_

Ohtori took off his cap and slowly ran his fingers through Ryoma's silky hair. "I'm here. Don't cry anymore. I'll never leave you." He assured the boy. He softly cupped Ryoma's face, gently coaxing the latter to look up to him.

His heart almost broke into pieces when he saw fresh tears still welling up in those unearthly golden eyes and the tear stains on those soft pale cheeks.

"Senpai…" Ryoma sobbed.

_Let me be the one you call_

_If you jump I'll break your fall_

_Lift you up and fly away with you into the night_

_If you need to fall apart_

_I can mend a broken heart_

_If you need to crash then crash and burn_

_You're not alone_

Ohtori leaned to burry his face into Ryoma's head, inhaling the sweet scent that is Ryoma's alone. 'You chose to call on to me during you darkest time. I am the lucky one to have seen who you really are. Selfish as I am, I want it to stay that way.' He wiped the tears away and started rocking both of them gently. "You're not alone anymore."

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The Hyotei regulars sans Ohtori were lazily lounging around Atobe's extravagant receiving area. Jiroh as expected was found sleeping on one of the couches while Kabaji was playing with Atobe's cute fluffy schitzu on the floor. Gakuto, Oshitari and Shishido were playing monopoly while Atobe's reading a fashion magazine.

"Anyone knows where Ohtori ran off?" Gakuto mindlessly asked while staring at his cards.

"He said it was an emergency." Oshitari answered. It was Shishido's turn and still the boy was not able to finalize his move.

"You know him. He'll come to rescue anything to anyone." Atobe lazily replied while flipping through the magazine.

"With the look of urgency in his face, could've been somebody, not just anyone." Gakuto stated. With this Shishido looked up to him abruptly.

"Don't give me that look…if I've known I would've blurted it out already." Gakuto scoffed.

"So uncool Mukahi." He muttered and finished his turn. 'What's wrong with you Choutarou?' he mentally berated himself for any possible answer to his question when,

"Wrong move Shishido. You're bankrupt." Oshitari smirked.

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"Thank you so much, Ohtori-senpai." Ryoma's voice dropped down to a whisper. He seemed content by just being in Ohtori's arms, being rocked away into the calmness of the night.

A smile, " no problem. Remember, I'm your friend now." the tall boy replied.

A few seconds of silence engulfed them. The quietude was broken when Ryoma tapped his chest. "Hey…"

"Hmmm?"

"You know…for a singer…you're not half bad as I thought you'd be." Ryoma said, showing him his trademark smirk. Ohtori let out a dry laugh.

"Feeling big now aren't we?"

Ryoma's eyes gleamed with innocence and sincerity when he gazed up Ohtori's once more… making the sophomore's heart go for a run…then…

"Mada, mada dane Ohtori-senpai."

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A/N: hahahahahahahah…I'm making a sequel….then another….then another….Joking! What ya think? You can also hint a slight silver pair. That's essential….maybe.

P/S: please review!


	3. who knew?

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. So it was revealed last chapter that there are some important pairings in the story such as Tezu/Ryo, Tezu/Fuji and silver pair. You might see some other pairings…I don't know…maybe. Ryoma will be the one doing the playing and the singing this chapter.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Who Knew". Pink does. It crushed my heart when I first heard it.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics.

PP/S: oh yeah…I don't know what are the names of Ohtori's and Shishido's family members. I would be making them up… no offense, I have limited sources. If you manage to know the names, please let me know ok?

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Ryoma went straight to his room after dinner. Ohtori was long gone after he graciously walked the young boy home. The sudden change in their relationship was quite over-whelming, especially for Ryoma. He never realized that there is really someone from Hyotei who is as kind and caring as Ohtori.

Flashback

_The two of them were walking side by side when a question popped inside Ryoma's head._  
"_Why are you so kind to me?"  
Ohtori stopped dead on his tracks to stare at the freshman, unable to think of an answer. The speech he has mentally prepared for instances like this was long gone._  
"_I mean, isn't it true that most kids who attend Hyotei are you know, snobs." Ryoma added. Ohtori winced inwardly at the comment. "I mean no offense. You're like an anomaly in Hyotei."  
_

_The tall boy blinked a couple of times before erupting into fits of laughter. _

"_Senpai! Not fair!" Ryoma pouted. He crossed his arms across his chest, looking very annoyed. When the Hyotei regular saw this, his laughs soon died down._  
"_You think so?" Ohtori asked Ryoma. The younger boy continued walking, leaving his senpai behind. "Hey, wait up." Ohtori called out. With his long…I mean really long legs he soon caught up with the freshman. "Didn't know you're a touchy one." He said. He placed a hand on Ryoma's shoulder and tugged the boy gently to face him.  
Ryoma lowered his cap and shrugged. "You're making fun of me, Ohtori-senpai." He was glad that it was already dark for he can feel an obvious blush on his cheeks.  
Ohtori smiled. "I'm sorry." he kneeled in front of the freshman to caress his cheek. Ryoma flushed even more. These little physical contacts that they share seemed almost normal, yet there is something more to it. _

"_You are not the only one who thinks like that." Ohtori said. He took Ryoma's hand and stood up. "Though I don't quite agree to the statement, I can't deny the truth it presents." Fingers gently laced together and they started walking. "I myself don't know why we're like this but it doesn't really matter right? We do not need to define everything."_

_It took a few seconds for Ryoma to decipher what he said before he let his body be dragged by his tall senpai home._

End of flashback 

Ryoma sighed as he started rummaging around his room. He finally took out a black box under his bed. The same gloomy shadow clouded his eyes as he traced the surface of the lid. Inside he placed all tangible memories Tezuka had given him. He forced back the urge to cry before he took off the lid. 'Whatever shall I do with these?' he mused as he dumped the contents in front of him.

Pictures, silly love notes, an old tissue paper that once belonged to the sundae cone they both shared after their first weekend match, a key chain that looks like Karupin and lots of other nonsense things that used to be so important are now scattered in front of him. Memories started flooding back into his head one by one. He bit his lip as he felt a painful tug at his heart.

"You just didn't have the balls to explain." Ryoma muttered bitterly. He picked up the tissue paper and caressed its still-soft texture.

Flashback

_Tezuka stared at the vanilla sundae that Ryoma is offering him. "But you just ate from it." He said._  
"_Come on koibito. It's not much different when we're kissing." Ryoma said with a smirk plastered on his lips. A faint blush crept up Tezuka's cheeks that Ryoma alone can recognize. Tezuka's lips curved up a little when he took the cone from Ryoma. He took a small amount of the icy, sweet decadence in his mouth while Ryoma stood gaping._  
"_You know, if eating ice cream is a crime you should be the first one in jail." He said. Tezuka's eyes sparkled for a moment before eating some more._  
"_Ne Ryo-chan, ever tried a flavor called Vanilla Kiss?" Tezuka suddenly asked.  
Ryoma was too engrossed in watching him eat to fully comprehend his question. "Uh what… no… why?"  
Tezuka smiled before leaning in, crushing Ryoma's lips in a smoldering icy kiss; vanilla ice cream-flavored and all._

End of Flashback

"Everybody thought you're that strong, that you mean what you say… who knew?" Ryoma sighed.  
He started picking up the letters and putting them back inside the box when he noticed something glittering under the hanky that Tezuka used as a gift wrapper. He reached out and realized that it was the silver kartush Tezuka gave him for their 1st monthsary. Under it was a crumpled paper. He smoothed out the paper and realized that was the song he started learning right after he and Tezuka broke up.

Without a word he stood up and ran out his room. A few minutes later he came back with a shiny red Spanish guitar. He locked the door and went back to the memory pile on the floor.

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"Ryoh-kun called earlier to check if you're already home." His mother, Saime said. The Ohtori family is having their dinner that time. (A/N: will be referring Ohtori as Choutarou for this section) Choutarou looked up from his plate to his mother.  
"I see, Kaa-san. Did he leave any message?" he asked. 'Why would Shishido-senpai check on me?' he mentally added.  
"Nothing much. He just called to ask if you're home." His mother answered. 'whywhywhwhywhy?' Choutarou mentally berated himself.  
"It's strange though…you came home a little late and you're not with Ryoh-kun." His older sister, Kisa commented. Choutarou swallowed hard, not wanting to give away Ryoma's identity so soon.  
"Eh?"  
"Just curious, son. Anyway, I take it as a good thing if it means that you spending more time in your studies or you have other friends aside from Ryoh-kun." His father, Kaoru added. Choutarou sweat-dropped upon hearing his father's statement.  
"Ano….Otou-san….ahh…" Choutarou mumbled.  
"Now, now let's not meddle with Chou-kun's social life. If he wants us to know something, he'll tell." His grandmother came to his rescue.  
'Whew!' Choutarou mentally sighed in relief. 'That was a close one."

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_You took my hand  
You showed me how  
You promised me you'd be around  
Uh huh  
That's right_

Ryoma started singing to the tune of his guitar. He couldn't find a better song that fits Tezuka's status in his life. 'No one knew you'd be someone who'd break promises.' He thought bitterly.

_I took your words  
And I believed  
In everything  
You said to me  
Yeah huh  
That's right_

Ryoma's fingers strummed without a miss. His eyes drifted to the kartush in his wrist. 'You said that this thing is used by the Egyptian royalties as an identification tag. A name will be engraved on it so that it wouldn't be forgotten.' Ryoma took a deep breath just as he reached the chorus.

_If someone said three years from now  
You'd be long gone  
I'd stand up and punch them up  
Cause they're all wrong  
I know better  
Cause you said forever  
And ever  
Who knew_

He's fingers are now strumming with force, hoping that the strings would singe through his flesh. 'You had my kartush engraved with your name. It signifies that I'm yours. Now that you're gone, what am I now?'

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Shishido was lazily lounging on the sofa when his older brother, Reiji arrived from work.

"Tadaima!" he brother called out."Okaeri!" Shishido answered without even looking up to greet his brother.  
"You're home early. Did anything happen between you and Ohtori-kun?" Reiji said, smirking at his brother's reaction.  
"And why would you think something's up?" Shishido asked crossly, a blush creeping up his cheeks. Reiji shook his head before flopping next to his baby brother.  
"Well, I though he was your boyfriend or something." Reiji teased his otoutou. Shishido's jaw dropped at his brother's comment.  
"So uncool, aniki. Choutarou is not my boyfriend." Shishido snapped back, his blush becoming more evident.  
"What ever you say ototou." Reiji sighed. Silence reigned in the living room for a few seconds when…  
"Ryoh…"  
"What!" Shishido snapped at his brother. 'Baka aniki! Stop meddling with my love life.'  
"Easy!" Reiji said, clearly amused with his brother's demeanor. "I was just going to ask what's for dinner."

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Nanjiroh stopped outside Ryoma's room. He can hear his son playing that guitar and singing along as well. 'Nanjiroh you mutt! Your son is so gifted because you have superb genes.' He congratulated himself inwardly, knowing that his wife would be pissed when she hears that one out loud.

"He seems depressed these days." Nanako suddenly came up to his right, making Nanjiroh yelp silently.

_Remember when we were such fools  
And so convinced and just too cool  
Oh no  
No no_

"Yes. Remember he didn't complain when I served his bacon and toast this morning. He usually hates that." Rinko added, coming up to his left giving Nanjiroh another shock.  
"Why do you always love coming out from nowhere? That's creepy, you know." Nanjiroh looked at his niece and wife accusingly.  
The two women just looked at him ridiculously before turning and going their separate ways.  
"You have a lot of paper work that needs attention, Jiroh. You're booming bistro/bar needs that much attention." Rinko turned back to smile at her husband. They can still hear Ryoma singing.

_I wish I could touch you again  
I wish I could still call you friend  
I'd give anything_

"Yeah uncle, you were right. That business madness that we went through was a risk worth taking especially when you do not have to pay extra for a band to perform." Nanako added, shoving an inch-thick stack of papers on her uncle's arms. "You have a pretty gifted son." She added with a smile. Nanjiroh managed to smile at her last comment.  
"And that is because of my superb genes, of course." Rinko added, a grin now plastered on her lips. 'Sucker!' she added inwardly, not wanting to tease her husband further.  
"I resent that!" Nanjiroh gritted his teeth playfully before following his wife to their room. He took one last look upon Ryoma's door then sighed. 'Your good son. You are.'

_When someone said count your blessings now  
B'fore they're long gone  
I guess I just didn't know how  
I was all wrong  
They knew better  
Still you said forever  
And ever_  
_Who knew_

Ryoma wasn't able to hold back the solitary tear that fell from his golden eyes. He now remembered why he chose the song in the past. Every word of the song, every note he played seemed right. It fits the current state he is in. But somehow, talking to his Ohtori-senpai helped him ease the pain, overcome the suddenly urges to cry and wail and most specially, move on.

_Yeah yeah  
I'll keep you locked in my head  
Until we meet again  
Until we  
Until we meet again  
And I won't forget you my friend  
What happened_

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Tezuka looked out of his window into the darkness of the night. He bit his lip while he reminisces on the conversation his had with his ex-boyfriend earlier.

"_Stop…Tezuka... don't say another word. Please…"_

Tezuka buried his head in his hands and groaned inwardly. "Kami-sama! What have I done?" He waited for an answer, almost believing that a divine entity really answers question but all he got was the gently howl of the evening breeze….that's all…

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Ryoma finally let all his guards down as he was nearing the end of the song. His fingers frantically strummed in rhythm as he was filled of unabashed resentment towards the course of his love life, hoping that once the anger drains out, he'll be fine again.

_If someone said three years from now  
You'd be long gone  
I'd stand up and punch them out  
Cause they're all wrong and  
That last kiss  
I'll cherish  
Until we meet again  
And time makes  
It harder  
I wish I could remember  
But I keep  
Your memory  
You visit me in my sleep_

Ryoma took a deep breath as he finally let the tears falls down his face. 'Goodbye, Kunimitsu'

_My darling, who knew  
My darling, my darling  
Who knew  
My darling, I miss you  
My darling, who knew  
Who knew_

Silence reigned in his room for quite sometime now. He just sat there, panting and crying silently while he took care of the mess in front of him. He took the black box and hid it under his bed again, hoping he'll never find the urge to open it once more. It was such a painful experience he wished he won't be doing again in the future.He went to the bathroom to wash his face and soon returned to his room to retire for the night. When he was making his bed, his eyes suddenly caught sight of his guitar again and smiled inwardly. 'Didn't I promise Ohtori-senpai I'd shake him out of his classical comfort zone?' he mused. He took the instrument and placed it gently on his desk.  
"Man I do have a lot of things ahead of me."  
"Meow!" Karupin suddenly piped in, giving her owner one of her famous indignant cat stares before jumping into bed.  
"Jealous of an instrument now, Karupin?" Ryoma asked his cat, looking very amused. Seeing how his pet ignored him, Ryoma sighed and jumped into bed next to the feline. A smile flashed on his lips when he felt the fur ball cuddled closer to him, sharing his heat.  
"Affirmative." He yawned before reaching out to flick the lamp off.  
"Oyasumi-nasai, Karupin."  
"Meow!"

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A/N: well….watchathink? Ok I revealed something in the chapter that is a very important part of the plot. Whatever it is, find out . Please review!


	4. out of my league

A/N: Hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. So it was revealed last chapter that there are some important pairings in the story such as Tezu/Ryo, Tezu/Fuji and silver pair. You might see some other pairings…I don't know…maybe. Ohtori will be the one doing the playing/singing this chapter. And it's going to be a loooong chapter.

Disclaimer: The usual…I don't own the song, "Out of my league". Stephen Speaks does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! and ()for text msgs.

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It was a beautiful Saturday morning and Ryoma is all but willing to get up…but his stupid cell phone convinced him otherwise. Groaning, he reached for the darned gadget from his bedside table and saw a message from Ohtori. 'It's 5 o'clock damnit!' he mentally hissed. "Why are there people born to be early birds?" he grumbled as he rubbed his drowsy eyes awake so that he can read the message. It says: (Ohayou sleepy head! It's a nice Saturday morning. Any plans? )Ryoma yawned as his fingers busied themselves for the response.  
(Ohayou Ohtori-senpai. It's 5 in the morning. Why so early? Plans? Nothing much. I'll be at home waiting for my piano after practice.) He flopped back on his bed, not thinking about his sleeping cat. A few seconds later his phone lighted, signifying a reply.  
(Wow! So this means you won't be coming back to that music store anymore?) Ohtori's predicament made Ryoma smile.  
(Maybe…p kidding! I will be there… you know, occasionally checking out new products. Hey! I have an idea!) Ryoma replied. He finally gave into the urge of switching on his lamp, his drowsiness was long gone.  
(That's nice to know. Meeting you there has now become a part of my routine. a penny for your thoughts?)  
(What time does your tennis practice ends? Want to check out my grand?) Ryoma replied. He stood up and started loading his tennis bag with necessities. His phone lighted up, indicating a reply from Ohtori.  
(Oh that would be terrif! May I, Echizen-kun? Our tennis practice ends at 11 am. Yours?) Ryoma smiled at the enthusiasm of his senpai. Mine ends at 10:30. Let's meet at the street courts near downtown. Ask Monkey King. He knows the place. Ryoma went to the bathroom to take care of his morning hygiene routine, still with his phone in tow. (A/n: which he rarely does.)  
Ryoma was brushing his teeth when he received Ohtori's reply. (Monkey King? Oh Atobe-buchou. That's not nice Echizen-kun. Who'd you know? Have you met him there?) Ryoma laughed inwardly, almost seeing his senpai's reaction in his imagination.

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Ohtori could feel irritation creeping up his veins upon reading Ryoma's message. 'Atobe-buchou? What on earth could he be doing with Atobe-buchou?' he mentally berated himself. He was still waiting for Ryoma's reply while brushing his teeth.  
'Am I jealous?' the thought suddenly popped inside his head. He was taken aback at that though when his phone vibrated on top of the vanity sink, signaling his eye candy's reply.

(No silly. Momo-senpai told me once he and Kamio met him there for a game. Jealous? didn't think my Mr. Hyotei Anomaly is the jealous one.)  
Ohtori's heart quickened when he read the message. 'My Mr. Hyotei Anomaly?' a spark of hope seemed to have ignited Ohtori's soul. He took a few deep breaths before typing his reply.  
(Am not jealous! p…I'll just ask buchou where.)  
He rinsed his mouth before splashing his face with cold water. 'Take it slow Choutarou. Remember he's barely over Tezuka.' He grimaced at the last thought. He stared at his reflection on the mirror for a while. It took a few seconds before he realized the look of determination on his face.  
"You will be mine."

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(Make sure Monkey King could comprehend. :) Ryoma snorted at his response. He went back to his room to make his bed.(Not very nice Echizen-kun. Don't call him that. He's your senpai as well.)  
(Ease up, Ohtori-senpai p. you say potato, I say potato. So see you later?) Ryoma finally had the urge to go downstairs and see what's for breakfast.  
( It's a date! See you later, Cat-eyes.) Ryoma stopped dead on his tracks upon reading Ohtori's message. His lips curved up a little at the pet-name his senpai gave him.  
(Cat-eyes? That's new Mr. Hyotei Anomaly. Catch you later! Peace out!)

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The Seigaku regulars were busy cleaning up the courts when Oishi made an important announcement.

"The Junior Senbatsu Camp will start next, next Monday. It is indeed unfortunate that Tezuka will not be able to join us but he said he will be here for the nationals."  
"Wow! The Junior Senbatsu! I'm so excited." Kikumaru gleefully jumped up and down.  
"It's very fortunate though that all the regulars have been selected as well. The training camp will determine the players who will compose the national team to face off with America's Senbatsu Team." Oishi added. This got Ryoma's attention. 'American team huh? I wonder who got into it.'  
"Sugoi!" Momo screamed. "Baka Momo." Kaidou hissed.  
"This is going to be so fun! Too bad Mitsu-kun will be missing it." Fuji commented. He was standing right behind Ryoma when he spoke. The freshman felt a little twinge in his heart. 'Mitsu-kun? How unoriginal!'  
The other regulars started teasing again. Before it gets all sappy, Ryoma took his racket and started exiting the court.  
"You're leaving already O'chibi? Please stay!" Kikumaru whined as he latched himself unto the freshman.  
"Kikumaru-senpai! Itai!" Ryoma gasped, trying to get out of his senpai's grip.  
"Eiji…" Oishi and Fuji spoke in unison. Kikumaru laughed and decided it's best to unlatch himself from the freshman.  
"Thanks." Ryoma said in between gasps of breath. "Where are you going O'chibi? You have a date? I don't see Ryuzaki all dressed up." Momo appeared beside him, teasing the poor freshman.  
"I'm not going on a date." Ryoma glared at him. "Oohh…so scary…" Momo continued teasing.  
Ryoma smoothed his clothes and said, "mada mada dane, Momo-senpai." before walking out of the courts.

He was long gone when the regulars started to move but still, he is the topic of the conversation.  
"I just noticed he seemed more distant than he usually is these past few weeks. He's sulking." Oishi commented. He is clearly worried of their O'chibi's welfare.  
"True. Last week he didn't even react to the glomps Momo and I have been giving him." Kikumaru added. Inui adjusted his glasses.  
"Fshuu…." Kaidou hissed.  
"He might feel pressured since Tezuka's departure added a dead weight on his shoulders." Inui concluded.  
"Tezuka expects a lot from him. Mitsu's been requesting lately that I keep an eye on him. He might break down from all the pressure." Fuji said. 'Requesting is one thing, being too insistent on the request is another.' He added mentally.  
Momo sighed. "Maybe the kid needs a break." He remarked.  
A light bulb flicked inside Fuji's head. "That's it! We need a recreational day off for Echizen" he said, his smile getting broader.  
"Of course!" Oishi agreed with Kikumaru and Momoshiro jumping up and down in the background singing (could be wailing) "Hurray!", "but it has to be Inui Juice-free." Oishi added, seeing the familiar glint on Inui glasses.

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"Atobe-buchou, we do not have any club meeting today right?" Ohtori asked his diva captain. He and Shishido had just finished having a practice match with Gakuto and Oshitari. Atobe spared the sophomore a questioning glance.  
"Why? Do you have any extra extra-curricular activity planned?" he twisted a finger in his dark, purplish locks. Ohtori took a deep breath before answering.  
"I just have to meet up with somebody." The tall sophomore answered. Atobe's eyebrow quirked upwards at the statement.  
"A date, Ohtori? I thought you and Shishido are mutual." Ohtori slightly blushed at his comment.  
"N-no buchou! Shishido-senpai and I are close friends, that's all." Ohtori sweat-dropped as he tried to grope the proper excuse.  
'Now who's the lucky bastard to deserve Ohtori's attention if it's not Shishido?' he mused. 'Ahh this should be fun…' he added mentally. "Ok I'll let you off…in one condition." His lips curving into a malicious smile.  
'Uh-oh…' Ohtori felt faint. 'This is not looking good.'

Shishido spotted Ohtori talking to Atobe outside the courts. He was about to approach the two when a shrill whistle startled him. "W-what?" he asked distractedly.  
"Where the hell you think you're going?" Sakaki-sensei barked from the other side of the fence.  
"Huh?" Shishido was still unfocused.

'THUD!' a ball bounced hard at the back of his head.

"BAKA YAROU! Who did that!" Shishido spun around, looking very deadly.  
"Baka Shishido. Where do you think you're going? The game's not over yet." Jirou spoke from the other side of the court, a freshman handing him another ball.

"I can't tell you that yet, Buchou. It's kinda personal." Ohtori muttered, his face turning redder by the second.  
"Why? I am trust-worthy enough to know your little secret." Atobe scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest.  
Ohtori can feel his buchou is getting mad. No one says no to Atobe. "Ano…it's just that I don't think it's time for anyone to know who the person is. I mean, we're just, you know, hanging out…" he ranted.  
"Ok fine! If you don't want to tell me it's ok. I'll find out anyway." Atobe's eyes glinted in a familiar manner, the same way his eyes glinted when he's in a tennis match.  
Ohtori sighed in relief but his predicament is not solved yet. "So can I go Buchou?"  
Atobe sighed. "Fine you can go."  
Ohtori felt like jumping in glee but he stopped himself before he could even move an inch. Talking to Atobe was a very difficult experience that he wouldn't want to go through again. But then...

"Ahh…Buchou?"

"What now?" Atobe snapped.  
"May I know which street tennis court did you and Momoshiro from Seigaku meet for a game in the past?" Ohtori asked apprehensively.  
"Do I know this guy?" Atobe asked back. His smile broadened when he saw Ohtori paled.  
"Uh…p-pardon me Buchou?" Ohtori stammered. 'Damn! Busted!'  
"I said, do I know this guy?" Atobe asked again. "I'll tell you what you want to know when you tell me mine."  
"Uh how did you know it is a guy?" Ohtori asked. 'I'm not that obvious of a gay am I?"  
"You're facial expression was a dead give away." Atobe answered casually.  
Ohtori took a deep breath. 'This I can't escape.' He took in a few of lungful before replying to the dreadful question.  
"Yes Buchou. It's a guy and you know him."  
Atobe smiled in triumph before turning his back on the sophomore and started walking away.  
"B-buchou!" Ohtori cried but his diva of a buchou did not turn back. He sighed in defeat and started to walk the other way when,  
"23rd Ave. south of downtown area. It is right beside the Shou-Seki Park."  
Ohtori stopped dead on his tracks, his jaw slacking down in surprise. He spun around only to see his buchou still walking away. He smiled and bowed down in deep respect.  
"Arigatou Atobe-buchou! Arigatou gozaimashitez!"

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Ryoma was lazily seated on a bench and sipping Ponta while watching a few kids play doubles on the tennis courts. He's been there for a couple of minutes already but he doesn't seem to mind the wait.  
"Hey look! It's that Seigaku freshman who defeated Sanada from Rikkai!" he heard a kid spoke up. He looked up and saw a couple of kids pointing at him. 'Ogle all you want. I don't care.' Ryoma scoffed silently. 'Where the hell is Ohtori-senpai?' the wind gently grazed his face as he savored the nice weather.

"There you are!"

Ryoma spun around and saw his Ohtori-senpai panting a few feet away from him, arms placed on his knees for support.

"YOU RAN ALL THE WAY FROM HYOTEI!" Ryoma exclaimed, looking at his senpai in disbelief after listening to his story. Ohtori just nodded in response while downing the rest of Ryoma's Ponta. "Now that is stupid." The freshman added.It took Ohtori a couple more seconds to recover. "I had to." He replied.  
"Naze?" Ryoma asked.  
"Let's not talk here." He stood up and grabbed Ryoma's hands. His eyes are busy scanning the place.  
"What's wrong?" Ryoma asked, looking up at his senpai innocently.  
"The ground has ears and besides, I'm hungry." Ohtori muttered. "Can you recommend a good place?" he asked his kohai.  
The curiosity is still in Ryoma's eyes but he shrugged that off for later. "Kaa-san texted me earlier that they left food for me at home. What to scrap that out?" Ryoma asked as they started exiting the tennis courts.  
Ohtori took a moment to pause and admire the picture of youth beside him. There's something different now. To his eyes, Ryoma looked like a picture of perfection. His eyes have a certain sparkle in them, his hair seems to glow under the sun, and his lips seem to curve up into a small smile that Ohtori wants to own. 'If I haven't admitted it to myself already, I'd say I'm in love.'

"Senpai…you're ogling." Ryoma spoke up, breaking his reverie. Ohtori snapped back into reality and smiled pathetically.  
"Hehe…sorry. Come again?" Ohtori asked, a blush creeping up his cheeks.  
"Come on. You must be very hungry to have spaced out like that." Ryoma said and tugged at his senpai.  
Ohtori smiled as he let himself be ushered by his eye candy. 'Yes. Indeed I'm in love.'

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"Status report."  
"Gomen nasai, Ore-sama. We were not able to locate Ohtori-senpai after he went inside the tennis court."Atobe gritted his teeth. "Insolent useless fool! I specifically told you to tail him." He hissed his freshmen lackey. The boy cowered under Atobe's menacing gaze.  
"G-gomen nasai! It seems that Ohtori-senpai sensed us. He was moving awfully fast." He murmured, his voice cracking up during the process.  
Atobe sighed in frustration as he slumped against his chair inside the office of the Student Council Chairman. "Get out of my sight before I lose all control and clobber you down, you pedestrian!" he snarled at the boy who in turn snapped up and ran out of the office. Atobe pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to process the circumstances laid out in front of him. 'I know the guy. Only a few people I know that have been hanging out on that court. There's the insipid redhead from Fudomine, the irritating spiky from Seigaku and Tachibana's sister. Maybe Ohtori's eye candy could be someone linked with the three of them meaning my list is narrowed down to two schools: Fudomine and Seigaku.'  
His chair swiveled around so he could peek outside, seeing Hyotei athletes roaming to and fro the school. His lips quivered up into a malicious smile before leaning back into his comfy chair. 'Ahhh…I'm getting there… no one could keep a secret from Atobe Keigo.' He mused. His reverie was interrupted when his phone rang. He spared it a glance, eyes widening in surprise to see Tezuka's name flashing on the screen.

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They have been lounging inside Ryoma's room for a while after they've scraped Ryoma's lunch, which was a mouth-watering oriental dish. That was when he learned that Ryoma's parents own the newest and hottest restaurant/bistro/bar downtown. Not only that, he also learned while feasting on a slice of blueberry cheese cake that his cousin, Nanako part-owns his favorite confectionary/bake shop, Republica de Jarina.  
"You're pretty well-off. Why chose be landlords for this place?" Ohtori dared to ask. Ryoma yawned, still focused on his task at hand, Karupin-grooming.  
"I never asked my parents why. Who knows what's going inside my Oyaji's head." Ryoma replied.  
Ohtori scanned the freshman's room. 'Tennis posters, tennis stuff…his life seemed monotonous.' He mused. A few seconds later his eyes caught sight of a shiny red guitar leaning against the wall. 'Now that's a change in scenery.' He crawled to get the instrument.  
Ryoma heard his senpai move and later saw him holding his Spanish guitar. "I see you've found something interesting." Ryoma commented.  
"I heard from the store clerk that you could expertly play this one." Ohtori remarked. His breath got caught up his throat when he saw the freshman smiling broadly at him  
Ryoma remembered the promise he made a few nights back that he's going to clobber Ohtori's classical comfort zone. "C'mere." Ryoma said. Ohtori felt like being pulled by a magnet as he sat next to Ryoma and gave him the guitar. Karupin willingly jumped off her master's lap to settle into Ohtori's arms. "She likes you." Ryoma said, quite surprised at his pet's behavior.  
"Wow…" Ohtori whispered in awe, fingers gently entangling with the cat's soft fur. The trance was broken though when he heard a soft strong of music radiating from the guitar, made possible by Ryoma's skillful fingers.  
"This is a Spanish guitar. It's a gift given to me five years ago." Ryoma spoke with his fingers still strumming.  
"Wow. You really are a musical genius." Ohtori murmured in awe. Ryoma smirked at the comment.  
"Genius? I don't consider myself a musical genius… a music lover would be a more appropriate description." Ryoma replied, holding Ohtori's gaze. The sophomore was unable to tear his gaze from those hypnotic golden eyes. It would've been a perfect opportunity to let the freshman know of his feelings when…

'HONK! HONK!'

Ryoma's fingers abruptly stopped. "They're here." He said, his lips curving up into an excited smile. He abruptly stood up and pulled Ohtori out of the room.

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Atobe was still in his office, still trying to process the things that he just found out. First, he never expected Tezuka to call at such an untimely hour. Next he was ultimately shocked at the reason why Tezuka called and for Kami-sama's sake he sounded like he's been crying.  
'Who would've thought Tezuka Kunimitsu will get involved with that cute, sassy freshman then cheat on him.' Atobe pondered. 'Echizen is cute indeed. I never realized he would be gay but what startled me the most is Tezuka. He's never been the cheating type.'

Flashback

"_I'm really sorry to have bothered you with my personal problems." It was Tezuka from the other line._  
"_Wait. Let me get this straight ok. You're with Echizen before you left for treatment. You seemed happy together but then a few days after you found yourself making out with Fuji Syuusuke inside the clubroom and the brat saw you. My Tezuka…you are sly dog." Atobe remarked._  
"_I don't know why it turned out that way. I was planning to break up with him properly but…" Tezuka's voice trailed off._  
"_Come now Tezuka, get a hold of yourself. Did you manage to explain at least something to your ex?" Atobe asked. 'Damn I hated this Doctor Love thingy.' He added mentally._  
"_I was but he just won't let me. I feel so rotten guilty! I don't know what to do anymore." Tezuka replied._  
"_Are you guilty of letting Echizen go because you still love him or are you guilty of having to make someone suffer for your own happiness that you've found in Fuji?" Atobe asked. There was a long silence on the other line. "Because you know Tezuka, you have to categorize what you feel and if not, you'll end up hurting yourself and both of them."_  
"_I don't know…God I don't know." Tezuka muttered. _

End of Flashback

Atobe stood up and paced the length of his office. 'Whatever happens, this leaves the Echizen brat single." His lips curved up into a sly smile. 'What Tezuka losses would be my gain.'

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Ohtori stood transfixed at Ryoma. It took almost 20 minutes for the movers to get the grand piano inside the house. They used the veranda of what turned out of be an ultra cool music room using a small crane since there's no way a piano would fit in the hallway. After the movers left, Ryoma instantly jumped on top of the piano and laid there with eyes closed and a dreamy smile of his lips. He kept of murmuring adorations for his shiny grand while caressing its smooth and shiny exterior. As far as he's concerned, this is so not Ryoma.  
"Ahh I missed you so much baby…" Ryoma muttered under his breath.  
Ohtori smiled at his kohai's demeanor. "Seems like the two of you share a very intimate bond." He finally spoke up, breaking Ryoma's trance. The young boy sat up straight, eyes glued to the floor and cheeks blushing mad.  
"Eh... gomen. I just missed my piano." Ryoma muttered shyly. Ohtori chuckled as he stood in front of the blushing boy. "Can I play her?" he gently coaxed the younger player to look up at him. Once again, gold met gold in a smothering gaze.  
"S-sure." Ryoma stuttered. Ohtori smile and took his seat. "She's so exquisite." He murmured as he gently caressed the keys with one smooth sweep.  
"I told you so." Ryoma winked at him. Ohtori realized that the freshman position himself on a prone position on top of the piano, facing him. "She's almost as old as I am." He added, eyes sparkling in delight. If Ohtori's not used to Ryoma's charming antics he would find himself gaping at the young boy at this moment.  
"My baby grand is 9 years old. She's my little child." Ohtori smiled sweetly at the freshman who in turned was mesmerized by his gestures. Before he could say another word, Ohtori's fingers started working their magic.  
Ryoma closed his eyes for a minute of let his body be caressed by the notes. He raked his hand through his hair as he felt his tension knots started to unravel. Ohtori's eyes never left Ryoma's face ever since he started playing. Everything seemed perfect, they feel perfect.

_It's his hair and his eyes today_  
_That just simply take me away  
And the feeling that I'm falling further in love  
Makes me shiver, but in a good way_

Ryoma opened his eyes only to find himself trapped in those golden brown orbs that seemed to have been reading his entire being from the start. 'He changed the lyrics.' He mused as his eyes drifted down to stare at the sophomore's lips which are equally enchanting as his eyes.

_All the times I have sat and stared  
As he thoughtfully thumbs through his hair  
As he purses his lips  
Bats his eyes  
And he plays with me  
Sitting there, slack-jawed and nothing to say_

'Ohh you're getting there Choutarou.' He mentally congratulated himself when he saw how Ryoma was drawn to his gaze. 'I know you're not stupid and you're smart enough to be able to understand what I'm trying to say. Please understand…' Ohtori's eyes glimmered as if he's silently pleading to Ryoma.

_Coz I love him with all that I am_  
_And my voice shakes along with my hands_  
_Coz he's all that I see and he's all that I need_  
_And I'm out of my league once again_

'No…I know what you're trying to say Ohtori-senpai. Please…don't' Ryoma sadly thought as realization dawn upon him. 'I don't deserve you…' with that he looked away, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. To his surprise, Ohtori held his hand and gently coaxed him into another smoldering gaze.  
"Listen…please…" Ohtori whispered and Ryoma couldn't dare deny such a heart-felt request.

_It's a masterful melody_  
_When he calls out my name to me  
As the world spins around him  
He laughs, rolls his eyes  
And I feel like I'm falling  
But it's not surprise_

'I can't love you, Ohtori-senpai. I can't let myself be hurt again.' Ryoma bit his lip to stop himself from crying. Ohtori's feelings overwhelmed and scared him to death. He's been hurt before, he can't risk falling in love again. He felt his heart breaking at every note Ohtori played.

_Coz I love him with all that I am_  
_And my voice shakes along with my hands_  
_Coz it's frightening to be_  
_Swimming in this strange sea  
But I'd rather be here than on land_

Ohtori voice dropped down into a whisper as he neared the end of his song. He felt an overpowering amount of courage filled his heart as he slowly leaned in, bringing his face closer to Ryoma's. The young boy, in turn, was still trapped inside the world of fantasy and music that Ohtori weaved.

_Yes he's all that I see  
And he's all that I need  
And I'm out of my league once…again_

Ohtori whispered the last verse against Ryoma's lips until he leaned in captured the young boy's lips into a soft kiss. Fingers no longer moving, brain cells no longer functioning, only pure heart that dictates their actions. Their kiss was soft and gentle, not hunger-filled and hurried. It felt like a butterfly landing on a flower.  
"I love you." Ohtori whispered against his lips once more and suddenly Ryoma snapped back into reality. He broke their kiss, eyes unreadable. He slowly went down the piano and started for the door. "Ryoma…wait!" Ohtori muttered in urgency, scared to death that he traumatized the freshman for life.  
"I'm sorry, Ohtori-senpai. I don't deserve this…I don't deserve you nor your love." The freshman looked back at him, tears flowing unabashed down his young face. "I'm really sorry." With this, the freshman ran to his room and locked himself in. Ohtori on the other hand was frozen on his seat, silently scolding himself.  
"Baka! What have I've done?"

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A/N: mwahahahahahahahaha! I'm evil! Pure evil I say! What do you think? Please review! Ahh so I have revealed another pairing here. It is the Royal Pair…having fun? PLEASE REVIEW!


	5. if i were you

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. So it was revealed last chapter that there are some important pairings in the story such as Tezu/Ryo, Tezu/Fuji, Royal and Silver pair. You might see some other pairings…I don't know…maybe. Ryoma will be the one doing the playing/singing this chapter.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "If I Were You". Tamia does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! and () for text msgs.

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It's been 24 hours since the piano incident and Ryoma was still in his sulking mood. Ohtori had been calling him for at least 30 times but the freshman never responded. Every minute that passed by seemed like eternity for the young boy. He's more confused now than he was with Tezuka. Ohtori made him do things he never normally do, things that he did only for a certain someone in his past.

Groaning inwardly, Ryoma locked himself inside the music room. His parents were curious when he asked to be excused from his job at the bistro for two straight days. He always loved going there. His pocket vibrated, indicating a text message. He took it out, unsurprised to see Ohtori's name on the screen.  
(I didn't take advantage of your vulnerability Cat-eyes. I swear to God I didn't. I couldn't help but fall. I won't give up on you, kid. My feelings will not change even if you decide to ignore me for an undecided time.)

Ryoma slumped on the cold concrete floor of the terrace. Still unable to process his feelings, he turned to one thing that he used to do when he was depressed. He took out a white packet from his jacket and took out a stick. 'My parents are going to kill me for this but hey…old habits die hard.' Ryoma mused as he inserted a customized filter on it before lighting the other end. He brought the cig between his lips and filled his deprived lungs with nicotine-filled smoke.

Flashback

"_How can you call it cig smoke if you damn place a secondary filter? Ryo, that's not cig smoke anymore. That's just plain smoke." A pair of piercing blue eyes stared at him. Silence grew like a balloon between the five of them until it was punctured by a hearty laugh._  
"_You know Jamie is right Ryo. Not only that you've limited yourself to three sticks a week, you've disgraced its essence by adding another filter." Fingers flicked to rid of the ash. "It seems like you're smoking but not literally smoking." Greenish-grayish eyes stared at him empathically.  
Ryoma grimaced at their comments before taking a long drag. "Don't you fucking insult my scientific ventures." With this, all three companions of his erupted in hysterical laughter._

End of Flashback

Ryoma smiled at the memory as he exhaled the smoke. He soon felt himself relaxing. 'Must be the effect of nicotine…if there was any.' He added mentally.  
"Damn you Ohtori-senpai. Why do you have to be so endearing and kind?" he murmured before taking another drag.

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Ohtori's been sulking inside his room as well and this doesn't go unnoticed for his relatives. They were like playing pass-the-parcel to know who's going to brave up and talk to the young man. Soon, his father was the unfortunate one to be burdened by the responsibility.  
There was a soft knock on Ohtori's door, soon followed by his dad calling his name. Choutarou lazily stood up and opened the door.  
"Tou-san…" Choutarou murmured. He stepped aside, beckoning his father inside.  
"Are you ok, son? You haven't eaten your dinner. Is there something wrong?" Kaoru asked, worry etched on his kind face. Choutarou slumped on his bed, unsure if he's ready to talk to anyone about his problem. He let out a frustrated sigh before burying his face in his hands. Soon he felt his father sat next to him and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.  
"Come on, Chou. You know you can always talk to Tou-san, right?" Kaoru said in a voice so kind that made Choutarou want to cry.  
Choutarou took a deep breath before looking straight into his father's kind brown eyes. "I'm gay." He blurted out. He was expecting his father to fall back in disbelief, hit him and scream at the top of his lungs why he was that way. He's been playing this scene in his head so many times before that he lost count. He closed his eyes, waiting for the blow but seconds, probably minutes passed by and still nothing happened. He slowly opened his eyes and was utterly surprised to see his father smiling.

"I know." Kaoru said. Choutarou's jaw slacked down, eyes widened in disbelief and speechless. They were like that for a few seconds when…

"W-what?" Choutarou stammered. He felt his mind go blank for a minute.

"I said, I know. We all know. We're just waiting to hear it from you personally. And it's ok" Kaoru said, pulling his son close to him. Choutarou's mind having been going a million miles a minute, trying to process what his dad just said.  
"But how? When? Why didn't you confront me earlier?" Choutarou fired his questions. 'They knew….Kami-sama they knew!' he ranted mentally.  
"Ever since you've been hanging out with Ryoh-kun. It was your sister who noticed first. She's not a psychology student for nothing. We're even sure that the two of you share a more intimate bond." Kaoru explained. He took a deep breath while he caressed his son's back.  
Choutarou felt tears welling up his eyes. "You're not disappointed?" he asked cautiously. He looked up and stared into his father's eyes. He bit his lip in anxiety, waiting for his father's response.  
"No… I perfectly understand." Kaoru smiled gently as he playfully ruffled his son's hair. "And besides, you're not the obvious type. I'm even proud of the fact that you are very discreet. You're made us proud all your life and I don't think there's anything that you can do to disappoint us."  
Tears finally escaped Choutarou's eyes upon hearing his father's words.

"Well…there is one thing." Kaoru stated. Choutarou pouted a little. 'Oh shit what now?' he added mentally.

"I would be really disappointed if you don't tell me what's your problem." His father smiled broadly at him, clearly enjoying teasing his son.  
"Tou-san!"

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Ryoma is torn between crushing his cig pack and taking his second stick for the day. It's been so long since he last smoked. His hand absent-mindedly wandered down his flat, muscular abs to what seems like a crescent moon-shaped scar on his left external abdominal obliques. (A/n: study your anatomy ) He wondered how Ohtori's fairing as of the moment while he's here, sulking and debating with himself whether to smoke another stick or not.  
"Ohtori-senpai…why me?" he called out into the air but no one answered. 'Fuck!' he cursed mentally.

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"…there! That's my problem." Choutarou explained but this time his audience has increased as the rest of his family decided to butt in. Kisa was giggling like a schoolgirl while their parents and their grandma pondered on his predicament.  
"That is just soo sweet Choutarou. I thought you and Ryoh-kun seem exciting to study but this one is better. And you're telling me he's just barely thirteen." Kisa giggled.  
"That's not fair Nee-san!" Choutarou pouted. 'This is not a laughing matter! My prospective love life is at stake!' he added mentally.  
"I'm just bothered, honey. Isn't he a bit too young for you?" Saime asked his son whose face couldn't go any redder by now. "Now Saime…age is just a concept." Sweet Grandma Ohtori came to his aid.  
"Do his parents know that he's gay too? I mean, like you mother had said, he's a bit too young." Kaoru said cautiously. Choutarou let out a frustrated sigh.  
"I don't know Tou-san. They might. He's had an older boyfriend before I met him. They just broke up when I saw him at the music shop." Choutarou replied, careful not to give his relatives more details than they need.

"REALLY?" all four of them asked. Choutarou groaned inwardly. 'What in heaven's name possessed me to say that?'

A few minutes passed by in complete silence…

"So you're problem is…?" Kisa prompted. Choutarou sighed for the nth time. His sister does have a sadistic streak on her.  
"He thinks he doesn't deserve me. But from what I can sense, he's just scared. His ex really hurt him a lot and I was even the one who patched him up. I don't know what to do. I've never felt this way before, not even with Shishido-senpai. It is only Ryoma who I want…no one else." Choutarou blurted out. Kaoru smiled upon seeing Choutarou pouring his heart out.

"Then don't let him go…if you love him that much."

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Ryoma breezed through his day like a zombie, unfeeling and oblivious to his surroundings. Thanks to his Ohtori-senpai he wasn't able to get a shut eye. Well…partly since all night he was debating himself whether he's going to continue sulking or puff his way through one or two cig packs just to calm his nerves. It wasn't easy…it's almost a year since he stopped smoking.  
His senpais are equally confused with his mood swings during practice. For a time he's very amiable then with a snap he's sulking once more. Soon he was cornered by their interim captain.  
"Echizen…do you want to talk or something?" Oishi asked Ryoma worriedly. Ryoma sighed. He hated this one-on-one's but he doesn't want to show disrespect to Oishi.  
"I'm fine Oishi-buchou. I just have a lot of things in mind, that's all." Ryoma replied, trying his best to put his usual façade. He almost jumped when he felt a hand clasp his shoulders.  
"You know that you can always talk to us, O'chibi." Fuji spoke from behind. Ryoma looked up, expecting to see his usual horse-shoe eyes but was quite surprised to be staring into exquisite blue orbs.  
Ryoma fixed himself a small smirk. "I know…" He stepped away from his senpai before he bowed. "And I'm thankful for your concern but seriously senpai-tachi, I'm ok." Ryoma said.  
Fuji sighed in relief. "Well then if that's the case, cancel all your plans for Saturday. We will have our recreational activity." The tensai smiled at him.  
Ryoma tried to think of an excuse to absent himself from the event but seeing his seniors' hopeful smile melted all his rebellious cells.

"Ok." With this he walked off, leaving his senpais behind.

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As usual, Ohtori excused himself from their off-campus rendezvous to wander around the places he and Ryoma used to hang out. His grandma's words last night were glued to his head and it paved way to his new resolve in life: that is to make Ryoma forget about Tezuka and make him fall for him instead.

"_Then don't let him go…if you love him that much…"_

His feet dragged him back to the music shop where he had his first real encounter with Ryoma. It was a very emotional and memorable moment for the both of them. It was music that brought them back together and tore them apart. Ohtori swore that it will be music that will glue them back together to last for a long time…maybe even forever.  
He took a deep breath before pushing the doors open, only to be greeted by a faint melody originating from the test room.  
"Konnichiwa! It's you!" the clerk greeted him. Ohtori smiled sadly. "Konnichiwa." He replied.  
"Your little friend is here…" the clerk started but Ohtori's gone before he could even finish. The tall boy almost ran towards the room, only to find a small audience inside, watching his Cat-eyes play the piano.

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"Hey Atobe." Shishido called his attention. They were hanging out in their favorite eating place, none other than Republika de Jarina. They were lazily indulging themselves with the fantastic cakes and breads the shop offers without Ohtori which was a surprise since it was Ohtori who introduced them to this place.  
Atobe spared Shishido a glance, indicating that he's listening.  
"I saw you talk to Choutarou last Saturday. What was that all about?" Shishido asked. He was itching to ask Atobe but it seems that their resident diva has been avoiding him. This got the attention of the rest of their companions composed of Oshitari, Gakuto, Kabaji, Hiyoshi and Jirou. They saw how Atobe's lips curved up into that familiar leer.  
"Interested? I don't think it's appropriate to probe Ohtori's personal life." Atobe replied sarcastically. Shishido made a face. "Cut the crap and tell me." he snapped.  
Gakuto raised an eyebrow at Oshitari who was just as interested as most of them. Atobe smiled and took a long sip from his glass of strawberry milkshake. "It better be good if he's acting like that." Hiyoshi muttered to Jirou.  
"Well?" Shishido and Gakuto prompted.  
"Well…let's say our dear Ohtori-kun is growing up. You know, started dating some guy…" Atobe drawled but he was interrupted by gasps from Gakuto and Shishido which made him smile more.  
"And why would he tell you that instead of me?" Shishido hissed. He's really pissed off right now. Not only that his Ohtori is dating someone else but also his kohai forgot that fact that it is he, Shishido Ryoh is his closest buddy in the team, not Atobe. 'How can this happen? How can I let him slip away just like that?' Shishido berated himself mentally.  
"Wow…I never realized Ohtori's gay." Gakuto commented. Oshitari snorted. "He wasn't that obvious!" Gakuto scoffed at his boyfriend. But all of this was no help for Shishido.  
Atobe was enjoying the moment, seeing his teammates dumbfounded and most of all, Shishido's hissy fit. 'Not my problem anymore. I have more important things at hand than to bother with you two. I still have Echizen to ensnare.' He added mentally.  
A girl with long black hair with green undertones approached them with a smile on her face. "Are you enjoying yourselves boys?" Atobe looked up at her and smile.

"Definitely."

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_I look in the mirror, with you in my arms  
And I see a reflection  
Of a smile that says you believe in love  
And just for a moment, I drifted away  
But I couldn't stay cuz  
A hint of love, a bit of fear  
I'm tryin' to say_

It was like an instant replay of what happened when they first met in this place. The difference is that the song is for him… Ohtori stood there, frozen as he tried to comprehend what Ryoma wants to tell him. He was trying to keep himself from approaching the freshman and taking him in his arms. 'Tell me what's on your mind, Cat-eyes.'

_If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
If I were you I would stay right where you are  
I wouldn't come near this broken heart  
Just turn around and leave here  
And find someone who won't hurt you_  
_Make sure that he still believes in love_  
_Cuz I think my heart has given up  
If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
Ooh yeah_

Ryoma caught sight of Ohtori standing by the corner of the room. He did his best not to falter as his tormentor stood and watched him play with raw emotions flashing in his eyes. 'I'm so sorry Ohtori-senpai. I want to….but I just can't. I'm scared.' Ryoma mused, hoping his senpai could read his mind. 'You deserve someone better…not someone who's been damaged like me.' He took a deep breath before singing the next verse.

_I'm tryin' to protect you  
From the lies that your heart tells  
Even though it says that you love me  
All I see is pain and misery  
Seasons may change  
But I can't forget the days of old  
My heart ached when he walked away  
I said I'd never love again_

Ohtori had to clench his fist tighter to subdue the emotions Ryoma had evoked inside of him. He didn't want to startle the small crowd that has been watching with him as his Ryoma's fingers breezed across the piano keys. 'I'm not lying when I said I love you, Ryoma. If you would just give me a chance to show you how much love I have for you, I swear to God I'll erase Tezuka out of your system. Please let me…'

_If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
If I were you I would stay right where you are  
I wouldn't come near this broken heart  
Just turn around and leave here  
And find someone who won't hurt you_  
_Make sure that he still believes in love_  
_Cuz I think my heart has given up  
If I were you, I wouldn't be here_

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"You think he's really ok?" Oishi asked Fuji as they tidied up the clubroom. Fuji sighed as he helped Oishi with the nets.  
"Seriously? No. He's a good actor." Fuji said.  
Oishi grimaced at his comments. "He's just like Tezuka. I hope he turns out ok though. I'm really worried about him." the interim captain muttered. Fuji stood next to him and patted his shoulder.  
"Don't be…we'll make him feel ok."

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Tezuka was resting in his room after his scheduled session. He's been pondering about him and Ryoma for a while now. 'If you'd just let me explain. It's not entirely my fault. There are things that you did not tell me when we got together, things that made me feel insecure whenever we're together. How am I supposed to live up to your expectations if my predecessor was a saint?' Tezuka thought bitterly as he stared at the ceiling.  
He brought up his left hand to rest on his forehead, his eyes drawn to the shiny silver band around his wrist. It was Ryoma's gift to him during their second monthsary. When Fuji inquired about the bracelet, he told the tensai it was a gift form his aunt.

"_Are you guilty of letting Echizen go because you still love him or are you guilty of having to make someone suffer for your own happiness that you've found in Fuji?"_

He remembered Atobe's words and his heart gave a painful tug. 'Ryoma… RyomaRyomaRyoma…did you love me for who I was?'

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_The days go by  
And I feel that you could make me happy  
Time goes on  
And I feel that love is at my door_  
_And though I tell myself that there's someone else_  
_Who said those words before  
Thought it hurts too much  
I can't trust in love  
Again  
Again_

"Wow…this kid is good." A middle-aged woman whispered to her seatmate when Ryoma escalated both his singing and his playing but they there oblivious of the electrifying connection that the freshman has with the tall boy at the back. They don't have any idea that the two were conversing with each other using eye contacts and the song itself. They don't know anything…

_If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
If I were you I would stay right where you are  
I wouldn't come near this broken heart  
Just turn around and leave here  
And find someone who won't hurt you  
Make sure that she still believes in love  
My heart has given up  
Can't be here_

'Please go…' Ryoma pleaded to Ohtori silently, his eyes full of unspoken emotions. 'I won't let you go. You can try pushing me away but I will never let you go.' Ohtori answered silently, it was as if he could read Ryoma's mind.

_If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
If I were you I would stay right where you are  
Cuz my heart has given up  
If I were you, I wouldn't be here  
Ooh_

'I'm a coward…I'm sorry.'  
'I will stay…I told you once you'll never be alone anymore…'

_I wouldn't, if I were you  
I wouldn't be here  
Oh oh oh_

The applause has died down already but Ryoma didn't move an inch and neither did Ohtori. The freshman only snapped back into reality when his spectators pooled around him to congratulate him. Ohtori just stood there, with a proud look on his face…watching how Ryoma put on his façade once more to face the world.  
The room was long empty before Ohtori made his way towards Ryoma who was glued to his feet, eyes caught in an intense gaze with the taller boy. Ohtori stopped until he was only a foot away from Ryoma, inhaling the familiar scent that was Ryoma's alone and feeling exhilarated that Ryoma did not run away form him.

It was Ryoma who broke the silence. "Ohtori-senpai…"  
"Choutarou." Ohtori cut him off. Ryoma just stared up at him in confusion. "Call me Choutarou." Ohtori said with determination flashing in his eyes. His hands came up to wrap themselves around the younger boy but Ryoma took a step back.  
"I-I'm sorry…" he muttered, eyes now glued to the floor. But Ohtori did not listen to him as he pulled the freshman close to him.  
"Don't be sorry." Ohtori said. "I'll wait until you're ready but don't expect me to let you go, not even in your dreams." He whispered against Ryoma's ruffled hair. The freshman hesitantly brought his arms ups to embrace Ohtori in return.

"C-choutarou-senpai…" Ryoma's voice croaked. "…arigatou…"

A/N: WHATYATHINK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? To those starting a hate campaign against Tezuka, please think twice. we all love Tezuka right? Please review!!!!!!!!!!


	6. let me be the one

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. So it was revealed last chapter that there are some important pairings in the story such as Tezu/Ryo, Tezu/Fuji, Royal and Silver pair. You might see some other pairings…I don't know…maybe. Ohtori will be the one doing the playing/singing this chapter. Oh yeah… Ryoma's a big OOC here… well only with Choutarou.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Let me be the one". Jolina Magdangal does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs.

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There was a dramatic change in Ryoma's attitude after that fateful meeting at the music shop with Ohtori. It must be the effect of having someone shower you with sweet nothings for the past two days. He really liked how his senpai would be his alarm clock and wakes him up in the morning with a short but sweet phone call or a dozen mushy text messages that always fills Ryoma's inbox. His Oyaji was not the one to complain when he showed up three nights straight to be their barista and he could tell that their customers missed him so much to the extent of giving him 4-figured tips for each drink he makes.

"No offense to your fellas here but when it's you who's behind the counter, man the drinks rock!" one regular told him while he was preparing his Martini Samba. Ryoma smiled when he took the tip the man offered. The rest of his men behind the bar chuckled to his comment.

"Don't worry. I'll train these boys to the ground so that they could whip up drinks as cruel as I can." Ryoma indulged him. Their bistro-turned-family bar at night, the Island Cove, was an instant hit. Ryoma scanned the crowed and saw the place full of families with kids. It was his Oyaji's idea to make the place family-oriented to cater to the Japanese crowd who loved their conventional way of entertainment.

"Order's up! Table three wants three Tropical Splash for the kids and two Sunset Daze for the parents!" his cousin Nanako, their floor manager rushed to his bar with the order slip. "Okay…" Ryoma grunted. "And hurry!" Nanako added before disappearing into the crowd of dancing people. Ryoma sped up his movements as he concocted their drinks.

"Table three's done?" Kasumi, one of the waitresses, appeared in front of him.

Ryoma nodded, putting little umbrellas on the glasses and handed the tray to her. The stoic-looking girl took the tray and skillfully balanced it on one hand before weaving through the crowd. There were parents dancing with their kids on the dance floor, the music was supplied by an old male customer who's blaring it out of the karaoke. 'Who said old people don't know how to have fun?' Ryoma mused with a smirk forming on his lips. His phone suddenly vibrated inside his pocket. Ryoma took off his plastic gloves before checking who disturbed him at this time of the night. His smirk has turned into a smile when he saw Ohtori's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, cover up for me will ya? I just need to answer a phone call." Ryoma asked Asuma, one of his fellow baristas. "Sure thing." The man smiled and moved to his placed on the counter while Ryoma escaped from that frenzied place.

"Moshi!" Ryoma answered.

"Well hello Cat-eyes. How's your day?" Ohtori answered from the other line. Ryoma smiled at way his senpai used his new pet name.

"Nothing much… just the usual, school, tennis, homework then the bar." Ryoma replied as he leaned against the concrete wall.

"The bar? Ahh yes. I remembered you saying you work part-time and I can here music in the background as well. Did I bother you?" Ryoma sensed that his senpai is turning into his worry-mode again.

"Nah it's ok and besides, I needed the break. How was your day?" Ryoma asked. He peeked at the entrance of their hub and saw a long line of customers waiting for their turn to get inside and have a taste of entertainment, Echizen-style.

"Pretty normal… well not normal. I figured Buchou told them I was currently seeing someone because Shishido-senpai suddenly becomes more irritated than usual every time Mukahi-senpai would linger of that subject." Ohtori replied with an exasperated sighed. Ryoma grimaced a little at the information just received.

"Your Shishido-senpai likes you." The freshman flatly stated, unable to explain the note of irritation on his voice. Ohtori noticed the subtle change in Ryoma's voice and smiled.

"Nah I don't think so. I think he's just protective and besides it doesn't matter if he likes me or not. What matters is who I like." Ohtori Said. Ryoma blushed at the last comment.

"And who would that be?" Ryoma asked, testing the waters. There was a long pause on the other line, making Ryoma wonder what's on his senpai's head.

"Don't try acting innocent and all. We both know very well who it is, my Cat-eyes." Ohtori replied. Ryoma's heart beat faster, waiting for him to continue when his darned beeper ticked off.

"Oh crap! Break's over." Ryoma groaned.

"It's ok Ryo-kun. I'm thankful that you gave some of your time to me. Don't over-work yourself ok?" Ohtori Said.

"No problem Choutarou. Sleep early ok?" Ryoma replied. His beeper lighted up again indicating the time. '9:30…almost time.' Ryoma added mentally.

"Sure I will. Goodnight Cat-eyes…" Ohtori Said, "oh yeah and I love you…" he added. Ryoma's heart skipped a bit.

"Good night Choutarou. Sweet dreams." Ryoma replied, "oh yeah….and thank you."

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Ohtori fell back on his soft bed with a dreamy look on his face. Not only that his object of affection finally gave him the chance but also the boy is starting to reciprocate his feelings. "Ahh this is the life." He murmured while hugging a large pillow.

"_Your Shishido-senpai likes you."_

Ohtori's face sobered at the thought. Of course he and Shishido-senpai are close but he didn't notice any more-than-platonic feelings from his senpai. But being a close friend he does have an obligation to tell him the whole truth which Ohtori can imagine as a difficult ordeal. 'Anyway…I'll cross the bridge when I get there.' Ohtori added mentally. He stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes before he decided to go to sleep.

He was about to close his eyes when he heard a faint rapt on the door.

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Ryoma was changing his clothes inside the office when his father came in.

"Hurry up Shounen. You'll be up in five minutes." Nanjiroh hustled his son who in turn just stared at him. "Come on!"

"Mada mada dane Oyaji." Ryoma snapped back. Silence reigned inside the room, Nanjiroh pretentiously reading paperwork while Ryoma busied himself in applying light make-up on his face.

"When will we meet this guy?" Nanjiroh suddenly asked, making Ryoma jolt in surprise and drop the compact powder he's holding.

"What?" he asked his father. 'Is he some kind of a psychic or what?'

"I Said when we will meet this new guy you're dating. It's quite obvious now that you and Kunimitsu-kun are history." Nanjiroh stated.

"How did you know?" Ryoma turned to face his father.

"I'm you're father gaki. Of course I know." Nanjiroh scoffed at his son. The two fell quiet for a period of time; Ryoma, unable to give an answer and Nanjiroh, waiting for his son.

"So…when?" Nanjiroh asked again. The door suddenly opened and Rinko's head popped in.

"Ryoma honey, you're up." she said.

Ryoma sighed and put on his cap. He can sense his father is still waiting for him. "Soon." He said before walking out of the door.

Nanjiroh stared at his son's retreating back. 'I hope you're ok Shounen. It must've been hard keeping all those emotions inside.'

Ryoma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The crowd's chanting seemed to grow louder and louder. "Shounen! Shounen! Shounen!"

The young boy opened his eyes, took the microphone, and motioned to the people behind him that the show is on.

"ARE YOU READY TO ROCK THIS JOINT TONIGHT?!?!?!!!"

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Choutarou stared at his mother with jaws dropped and eyes wide open in disbelief. Saime smiled at his son's reaction upon hearing her news.

"Well? It's not such a bad idea right?" Saime asked. Choutarou blinked a couple of times and his mouth moved to close then open in attempt to speak but no words came out of his mouth.

"It would be a very lovely night. Okasan and I will cook dinner. we'll talk and get to know him and his family better." She added.

"But Kaa-san…" Choutarou sounded. His brain is going a mile a second, trying to comprehend his mother and to think of a possible escape route for him. 'Shit! It's too early for the meet-the-parents scenario!'

"No buts Choutarou." Saime said sternly, sensing her son's defiance. "Does it for Kaa-san ok? Please?" her facial expression softened in attempt to convince his son. Choutarou groaned inwardly, feeling trapped.

"I don't know Kaa-san. He might be busy with school and tennis." Choutarou reasoned out.

"Please…." His mom pleaded, giving him the famous puppy-eyed look. The boy sighed in frustration. 'Ryo-kun is so gonna kill me for this.'

"Ok Kaa-san, I'll talk to him but I can't promise ok?" Choutarou said, finally caving in to his mother's wiles. Saime beamed in delight as she hugged her son and tucked him to bed.

"This is going to be so much fun." She said before leaving Choutarou in peace.

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Thursday morning: Ryoma woke up to rather bad news that his senpai gave him. His eyes snapped in full wakefulness as he urgently dialed Ohtori's number.

"M-moshi…" a rather jittery Ohtori answered form the other line.

"What the hell are you trying to tell me?" Ryoma spat out, utterly dumbfounded at his senpai's news.

"Ok…here's the story…"

Ryoma blinked a couple of times after Ohtori finished explaining what really happened. "So you can't really bail out on this one?" he asked.

"Oh how I wish Ryoma but Kaa-san has the ability to make people fold into her schemes. I'm really sorry Ryo-kun." Ohtori replied, his voice sounded totally forlorn. Ryoma took a deep breath as he pondered on his decision. He remembered the conversation he had with his father last night.

"I'll call you back about my decision." Ryoma finally said.

"O-ok. Are you mad at me for putting you in this kind of situation?" Ohtori asked apprehensively.

"Seriously? No. It's weird though that I was having the same talk with my old man last night. I'll talk to them and I'll let you know later." Ryoma said, getting out of the bed to get ready for the day.

"Thank you so much for considering Cat-eyes. I'm really sorry. I love you. Have a nice day…" Ohtori ranted.

"Think nothing of it Choutarou. You too have a nice day ok? Take care. Bye."

"Bye."

Ryoma tended to his morning routines, mentally rehearsing some lines that might help him when inquiry session starts. He took a deep breath as he sat on the table to eat breakfast with the rest of the family. 'Here goes nothing.'

"Tou-san, Kaa-san, I have something to tell you…"

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Ohtori was jittery and jumpy all throughout the day. It was already afternoon and Ryoma hasn't called or texted yet. Of course, he was not the only one who's having a bad day at Hyotei. Shishido's snappiness increased two-fold as well as Atobe's diva meter every time he tries to pry information from Ohtori.

"Just the name?"

"No."

"Ok, year level?"

"No."

"Facial features?"

"No."

"Height? Weight? Age?"

"I said…no, no, and no."

Ohtori learned how to tolerate such inquiries from his senpais thus irritating Atobe more.

"If you're not gonna tell me who you're dating is… I'll kick you off the team." Atobe announced, extracting gasps from Gakuto and Shishido.

"No you wouldn't!" Shishido cried. 'He can't kick off my partner!'

"Easy Atobe, they're still the undefeated doubles pair." Jirou injected extracting another undignified gasp from Gakuto. "Hey I resent that!" the latter snapped back. Ohtori was still in his defiant mode even when they're on their way to Nanako's cake shop.

"You know very much that I do not take no for an answer." Atobe shot back while pushing the store's door open. Ohtori slumped on his seat, pouting.

"You will know eventually so stop prying." He pointed out.

"But we want to know now!" Atobe and Shishido cried in unison. The whole shop fell silent from the outburst. The other customers were staring at them indignantly while some of the store's staff came out to see what the commotion all about is.

"It's ok. Sorry to bother you people." Oshitari apologized. "Keep it down, will ya?" he hissed at his companions. They all sat down, exasperated from the ordeal. A girl came up to them and gave them the menu.

"Still ordering your usual?" she asked, blank, emotionless eyes scanned their faces.

"Ahh Tsubame-san!" Atobe greeted, "Yes, yes the usual. I don't see Na-chan around." He added while scanning the crowd.

"Well, she's still in school finishing some research." The waitress replied while she wrote down their orders. Her eyes caught Ohtori who was still in his sulking mood. "Why the face Ohtori-kun?" she asked worriedly since she knew that this boy is cheerful.

"He's just pissed off. A little cream puff will cheer him up." Gakuto said, patting Ohtori's head.

"Very well, cream puffs and your other orders will be coming right up!" Tsubame said before leaving their table. The boys fell quiet for the moment while on the far corner; a male staff member was seen whispering something to Tsubame.

Shishido took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His eyes lingered on his still pouting doubles partner. 'I cannot believe you ditched me for an unknown good-for-nothing fool Choutarou. I thought we had the connection.' He silently resented. His mood didn't change even when his favorite custard cake was served in front of him. It's as if he lost his appetite all of a sudden.

"Ohtori Choutarou?" someone called out. They all looked up to see who it is and it was Tsubame from behind the counter, beckoning the sophomore to come to her. Ohtori sighed and made his way to Tsubame.

"Is everything ok, Hiroki-san?" Ohtori asked his voice dropping to a murmur. Tsubame took a deep breath and reached for something under the counter.

"There's someone who wants you to have this." She said, producing a folded piece of paper.

Ohtori stared at her then to the letter in confusion.

"It wouldn't open by itself Ohtori-kun. I think it's important." Tsubame said before turning her back to him.

"What's taking Choutarou so long?" Shishido grumbled while taking a hefty bite off his cake. Atobe shrugged while sipping his chamomile tea.

Ohtori slowly unfolded the paper and it turned out it was a letter. It says:

Choutarou-senpai,

Olla! About our rendezvous this Friday evening, my parents actually agreed (can you believe that?) to come. We'll be there 7 pm. Email me the directions with sketch. My father can be a dim-wit driver sometimes. Warn your sister. My old man has an affinity for cute girls.

Oh yeah, in exchange for this impromptu (or is it?) meet-the-parents situation you got me into, you shall or maybe WILL accompany me to a recreational day-off my senpais planned out for me. You shall suffer as well! Pick me up at my house around 10:30 am Saturday. NO BUTS! And yeah this is the reason why I wasn't able to text or call you. Baka senpai-tachi. Oh well…mada mada dane Mr. Hyotei Anomaly. Ciao!

Meow! OO

Ohtori was not able to react immediately to what he read. Soon he could feel his hands trembling in excitement and mustered as much self-control as he can to prevent him from jumping up and down.

"You ok?" Tsubame's voice broke through his head, dragging him back to reality. Ohtori's sight came to focus and saw Tsubame's pretty but worried face.

"Uh… yeah…I'm good." Ohtori stuttered.

"Yo Choutarou! Are you ok?" Shishido called out.

Ohtori spun around to face them, a toothy grin plastered on his face. "Oh yeah. I'm fine! Super fine!" he replied cheerfully.

Oshitari's forehead creased at the sudden change in Ohtori's mood. "Is he sick or something?" he murmured to Gakuto who was equally perturbed.

"I-I'm going to the gents." Ohtori Said before running towards the men's restroom, leaving his friends stunned in their seats.

"Yep…he's sick." Jirou answered Oshitari's question.

Ohtori slammed the cubicle door shut before taking big gulps of air. 'He said yes…he said yes…oh god…' he mused. "HE SAID YES!!!!" he finally cried out, punching his fist up in the air and started dancing inside the cubicle. "Oh yeah, he's coming. Oh yeah, he's coming." He sang while doing a silly dance.

"Choutarou?"

"Oh yeah—"Ohtori froze when he heard Shishido.

"Choutarou, are you ok? Are you sick or something?" the senior worriedly asked.

'Did he hear me singing?' Ohtori mused. "Uh…yeah! I'm ok. I'll be out in a sec!" he called out to his senpai.

"Ok. Don't take too long then." Shishido said before going out of the restroom.

Ohtori let out a big sigh of relief when Shishido finally left. 'Oooh yeah… he's coming." With this he went out with a big smile on his face.

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Friday came too soon and Ryoma found himself nervously standing in his turtleneck and coat outside a big white house; to his sides are his parents, Nanjiroh carrying a bottle of sake and Rinko with flowers in hand. They've been standing there for a few minutes now but he can't seem to find the courage to push the buzzer.

"Relax Shounen. It's not like you're asking his hand for marriage." Nanjiroh chuckled upon seeing the undignified expression on his son's face.

"Nanjiroh! Stop teasing your son." Rinko snapped at her husband. She smiled nervously at Ryoma. "Go ahead Ryoma. We didn't come here to become mosquito food." She said encouragingly.

Ryoma nodded with a looked of determination in his face before pushing the buzzer.

"They're here!" Kisa jumped up when the buzzer rang. All members of Ohtori family sprang up in alarm.

"Saime, go with Choutarou to meet the guests." Kaoru told his wife. Choutarou looked faint in his turtleneck and coat. His let his mother pull him towards the door, holding his clammy and shaking hands securely in hers.

"Relax honey. It's not like he's asking your hand for marriage." Saime teased his son who turned paler at her comment.

Choutarou held his breath when she reached out and opened the door.

"Good evening!" the three of them bowed in respect when Saime opened the door.

"Welcome to our humble abode Echizens. Come in." Saime greeted as she warmly ushered them inside.

Choutarou immediately went beside Ryoma and held the freshman's cold hand with his. He smiled nervously at Ryoma who returned it with an equally anxious smile. They came into the living room where the rest of Choutarou's family stood waiting. He saw Kisa's smile grew wider when she saw Ryoma. Nanjiroh offered the bottle of sake to Kaoru who in turn graciously took it and shook his hands. Rinko gave the banquet of flowers to Saime who smiled and kissed her cheeks.

"Come and take a seat." Kaoru gestured after the formalities. The room grew quiet a few seconds after they sat; Ryoma seated between Choutarou and Nanjiroh. The young boy felt his stomach churning as the silence grew like a balloon.

"Very well…it's finally nice to meet the boy who got my brother all smitten." Kisa suddenly spoke up, breaking the ice. Her comment made the elders chuckle. Ryoma fidgeted a bit but relaxed when he felt Choutarou's hand clasped on his own. He looked up and saw his senpai smiling at him. Ryoma smiled back and took a deep breath.

"And Choutarou wasn't lying when he told us you're cute." Grandma Ohtori added. Ryoma blushed at the last comment, making him look more adorable.

"He's cute alright. He's a shounen after all." Nanjiroh added. Ryoma glared at his father who in turned stuck out his tongue at him. This amused the Ohtori's more.

"I do apologize for their childish antics. That's how they show their affection to each other." Rinko smile apologetically.

Kaoru shook his head with a kind smile on his face. "It's really nice to see how they connect on the same level." He said. "And I'm still in awe by the fact the Nanjiroh Echizen, Japan's greatest or if not one of the greatest tennis players in history." He added with a look of sheer admiration which Nanjiroh brushed aside with a sweep of a hand.

"That was a long time ago. But now, we do have a good generation of tennis players to look forward to." He said, while glancing at Choutarou and Ryoma who in turned blushed at the praise. "Even though they still need to work harder." He added. The elders smiled at the two of them, unaware of the mental conversation that seemed to be occurring between them.

'You look amazing tonight Cat-eyes. I never thought you would dress up for me. Hehe I guess I should get used to it now." Soft brown eyes never left the freshman's figure. "I'm sure lucky as hell to be sitting next to you." He mentally added his heart swelling with happy emotions.

'I told you my dad is an ass but he's unusually behaved tonight.' Ryoma thought when he caught Choutarou staring at him. 'It's nice to be accepted by your parents. It's so not like with Tezuka's.' the smaller set of fingers tightened its hold of the larger ones. 'It actually feels nice to be sitting here next to you. I can feel your warmth surrounding me Choutarou-senpai and for God-knows what reasons, I love it. I hope we can stay like this forever." Ryoma's lips curled up into a smile, a real smile that reflected a child's innocence and it made Choutarou's heart stopped for a second. He had seen Ryoma smile, smirk, leer, grin but this smile is different. It reflects a whole new Ryoma who's yet alien to him. His whole being was ecstatic as Ryoma softly succumbs to the love he's offering.

"Now before the ants would eat us all up, why don't we see what's for dinner?" Kaoru's voice cut into their heads, shattering the barrier that they put around themselves.

The conversations continued on until dinner. Choutarou and Ryoma suffered the same embarrassing fate when their parents shared embarrassing childhood stories and secrets about them. However, during dinner Choutarou got to know Ryoma better when Nanjiroh told them about their life in America.

"So you attended Chilton University. Isn't that a sister school of Hyotei, Chou-kun?" Saime asked his son. Choutarou blinked and nodded. 'Chilton?! OMG! Why didn't I ask him before?' He mentally scolded himself.

"Yes it is. When we decided to go back to Japan, they were actually expecting that he will be attending Hyotei. They'll even arrange everything for him since he's Chilton's number one. They were quiet disappointed when he ended up in Seigaku." Rinko said while eyeing her son.

"Then why Seigaku?" Kisa asked while toying with her cous cous.

Nanjiroh smiled in triumph at the comment. "Well basically when it comes to kids, parents thwart school administrators. I'm an alumnus of Seigaku and had Ryuzaki Sumire as my coach. I want Shounen to suffer the same tennis training as I had." He chuckled.

"So ingenious, Echizen-san," Grandma Ohtori chirped in.

So the dinner went on including embarrassing baby stories and school bloopers. Choutarou's life was like an open-book, what he is now is what he was in the past. However, he was intrigued by the fact that he knew so little about his boyfriend-to-be. Ryoma was like an enigma. For one, Nanjiroh revealed that Ryoma once became a small version of Atobe with a little cross of Tezuka with his diva meter as high as 1000 points. He's at the top of Chilton's power pyramid being the Chancellor of the Chamber of Student Leaders and the tennis club captain as well. Only difference is he's had power for two consecutive years for he's the first 5th grader in Chilton history to have had Chancellor position twice; meaning he bested even the dominant 6th graders. And just like Atobe, he has his own independent cheering squad, hordes of fans and basically the whole school bows down to him and his three best friends, making up the group referred by others as The Unspeakables. Choutarou lingered on that thought, how on earth will he be able to hold up to Ryoma's status when…

"But that was all in the past." Ryoma interjected. Everyone stared at him in surprise. "Yes I was a snobby, cocky, stoic and austere leader then but compared to what I am now, I could probably call myself an angel." He added, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Really?" everyone, including his parents uttered in slight disbelief.

"And I don't think snobby is the right term for me. I am a very private person and I love my personal space so much. I just don't like other people tampering my personal space that's why I don't talk to people much." The freshman casually stated.

"Ahh so you don't like attention that much huh?" Kaoru asked him.

"Not really." Ryoma replied.

"Typical Ryoma. His status at school didn't prevent him from causing trouble. The four of them were the masterminds of some of the biggest pranks in Chilton's history. Talk about abuse of power." Rinko smiled at his son before sipping some wine. "And they were never caught. Who would suspect the four most powerful students to pull such deeds." She added.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at the information. 'Ah so he knows how to have fun in school.'

"School's boring without events like that." Ryoma answered. He smiled when he caught Choutarou's knowing gaze. 'Know me Choutarou Ohtori.'

After dinner, the parents went outside for more chats over tea while Ryoma and Choutarou went out to the veranda to stare up the night sky. They were enjoying the amicable silence for a while seemingly content in sharing the same canopy of stars and breathing the same air.

"Ryo—" Choutarou started but his voice trailed off when he saw Ryoma staring up at him with eyes shining under the faint moonlight.

"Thank you for inviting us over Choutarou-senpai." Ryoma said.

'Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. THUD. THUD. THUD' Choutarou swore he could hear the beating of his heart.

Ryoma sighed and learned on the terrace. "And thank you for being patient with me. I know it bugs you sometimes that I'm still nursing a wound here, "he tapped his chest, "I hope you're not the type who gives up easily." He stared back up into those hazel orbs and sadly smiled.

They were like that for a few seconds until Choutarou reached out and pulled the younger boy into his arms. He felt Ryoma stiffened for a second then hesitantly wound his arms around his waist. "I'm no quitter Ryo-kun but please don't make me wait forever." The young boy looked up and it gave him the opportunity to caress his young face. Choutarou leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Ryoma's forehead. "I would want to have an opportunity to occupy that heart of yours."

Ryoma stood there in Choutarou's arms, staring up in awe at his senpai with colors rising up in his cheeks.

Kaoru beckoned the others to look up to the terrace. Nanjiroh smiled at the scene under the moonlight.

"You know no matter how wrong it looked, it suddenly becomes so right when you see the joy in their faces." Rinko stated. 'I saw the way he smiled earlier. I'd recognize that smile anywhere. I'm sorry Carlos but I think Ryoma has found someone who loves him as much as you did.'

"I know…" Kaoru added. 'I know…'

Soon they were gathered inside the piano room waiting for Choutarou who's seated up front. Ryoma was seated between the two dads, anxiously waiting for his senpai to play. No one in the room knew that they could actually converse using music.

Choutarou flexed his fingers before taking a deep breath. "The song that I will be playing is entitled "Let Me Be the One" and this is dedicated to a very important person in my life," He paused and caught Ryoma's eyes, "Echizen Ryoma." with this, his fingers started moving along the piano keys.

_Let me be the one  
That you'll hold forever  
In your search for love  
Let me be the answer  
Take me in your arms  
And never let me go  
Let me be the only love your heart will know_

The moment Choutarou open his mouth to start singing, Ryoma has fallen, fallen hard. It's not just the song. It is the raw emotion in Choutarou's voice that shook his whole being.

_If you gave your heart  
I'll give you all of me  
Say the words and I'll be yours completely  
If you ask me too  
I'd spend my life with you  
Let me be the one your heart surrenders too_

'I want you to be mine Ryoma. Will you give yourself to me?' Choutarou mused when his eyes settled on Ryoma. He was quite shocked at the expression on the youngster's face. His lips were slightly opened, the blush is still on his cheeks and most of all, and his eyes gaze at him, full of unspoken feelings. Choutarou smiled at the vision in front of him. Ryoma's his now…all his.

_Let me be the only one  
That you will love forevermore  
And I will be with you for sure to love you even more  
Let me be the only one  
Beside you 'til forever  
And I will leave you never  
Just let me be the one_

The rest of the audience disappeared as they entered a difference space, made only for them. Nobody existed except for the two of them. Ryoma kept of clenching and unclenching his fists to subdue his emotions and keep him from running into his senpai's arms. 'Yes senpai… I'm ready. Please be the one.' his silently pleaded to the sophomore who in turn just kept on playing. Their reverie stopped for a second when Rinko suddenly appeared behind Choutarou with a violin in hand. She smiled at them and started playing. She didn't ruin the mood, no she did not. In fact, her soulful addition fanned the fires of yearning on their hearts.

_Say that you'll be mine  
And I'll be yours alone_  
'_Till the end of time_  
_Your life will be my own  
Promise to be true  
To you and only you  
Let me be the one you'll keep your whole life through_

'I'm yours Ryoma, as long as you want me to. I'll stay with you till forever. You are my life now.' Choutarou mused as he escalated the music a notch higher. Rinko stared intently at Choutarou while she followed his lead. The soulful mix of the piano and the violin almost took their breaths away.

"You're wife is really good." Saime told Nanjiroh and the latter just smiled. "Thanks."

_Let me be the only one  
That you will love forevermore  
And I will be with you for sure to love you even more  
Let me be the only one  
Beside you 'til forever  
And I will leave you never  
Just let me be the one_

Ryoma's knuckles are as white as ivory by the time his mother and his future boyfriend started on the instrumental. It was ironic that music should calm your nerves yet this one made Ryoma restless. He felt a great urge to touch Choutarou; hold his hands, hug him or caress his face. He bet any form of physical contact will do so he could appease his overwhelming desire for the sophomore.

_Let me be the only one  
Beside you 'til forever_

Choutarou closed his eyes as he sang the last part, putting his entire being in jeopardy. Ever since he met Ryoma, his world was turned upside down. Being with the freshman made him do things he has never done before. Now he's hanging on to him like he's life itself, something he will never let go.

_And I will leave you never  
Just let me be the one_

The room fell silent for a few seconds until Kaoru and Nanjiroh stood up and applauded the two. When everyone was streaming around Rinko to congratulate her, Choutarou chose to stay behind, eyes caught in a passionate gaze with Ryoma. His heart skipped a beat when the freshman smiled shyly at him and mouthed a silent "Thank you." That and the smile made his evening complete.

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A/N: whooookey… wachatink? Please review!!!!!!!


	7. head over heals

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. So it was revealed last chapter that there are some important pairings in the story such as Tezu/Ryo, Tezu/Fuji, Royal and Silver pair. You might see some other pairings…I don't know…maybe. Ryoma will be the one doing the singing in this chapter. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC mot of the time… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Head over heels". Alanis Morisette does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs.

thank you so much for those to are still supporting me...mwaherz!

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It was a good Saturday morning with the sun up in the sky and not a dark cloud in sight. Karupin was seen juggling a yarn ball on Ryoma's bed while her master busied himself in deciding what to wear for the day. He has been doing this for a few minutes now which was a new because he never takes so long to choose an outfit.

A rapt knock disturbed him from choosing between a dark blue metallica shirt and a white FILA shirt. He sighed in frustration as he threw the shirts on his bed and stomped towards the door and opened it. A rather cheerful Nanako greeted him whose face soon looked worried upon seeing the prominent crease on his forehead.

"Are you alright Ryoma-kun?" she asked, her golden eyes blinking. Nanako took the responsibility of acting like a big sister ever since his parents won legal guardianship after her parents died in a car accident and Ryoma knew he could trust her.

"Na-chan, help me pick out a shirt. I've been staring at this pile for half an hour already but I'm still not done." Ryoma let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't understand why." He added.

Nanako smiled and wound her arms around his shoulders as she led him back inside the room. "It's because you're going out _with_ someone." She said. She rummaged through Ryoma's closet. "This is just a day out with your senpais right?" she asked.

"Yes." Ryoma replied, flopping down on his bed, startling Karupin who in turn jumped out of the bed to chase after her yarn ball. He was intently staring at the cat that he didn't immediately noticed the article Nanako's waving in front of his face.

"How about this?" she asked holding up a white soccer jersey with red and black stripes on the shoulders, the collar and the chest part. The name "Thorrington" was printed on the back part. It was James' jersey that he salvaged as a parting gift from his blonde best friend. He was even throwing a hissy fit when Ryoma held up the shirt and said that it would do.

_Flashback_

"_What are you saying, "This would do?" you dim-wit! That is my first official soccer jersey as the team's star forward! You cannot take that with you to Japan!" James screamed in outrage. The Japanese boy just stared at him and the blonde froze._

_There was something in Ryoma's eyes that shook him to the core. Ryoma probably has the deadliest stare in the whole world and if looks could kill, James Royd Thorrington, son of America's biggest telecommunications magnate is already on the floor, dead for all the world to see. His Japanese best friend didn't earn the title "Lynx" for nothing. For a second his soft golden eyes can constrict into the eyes similar to the deadly feline mentioned earlier._

"_But I want this." Ryoma simply stated, his eyes going back to big golden orbs. _

_James felt a warm hand on his shoulders. "Give him the shirt Jamie. Remember we're going to be hundreds of miles apart." Someone said._

_James turned around and saw Sylvan's expressionless, bespectacled face. James sighed in defeat. "Fine you can have it. But make sure you take good care of it. That's a tangible momentum of an important landmark in my life." He muttered, a pout is becoming more evident on his perfectly-shaped red lips. _

_End of Flashback_

Ryoma's lips formed a smirk as he put on the shirt. It wasn't as loose as it was before. It's probably because Ryoma developed more muscles over the year. He loved the soft feel of the fabric on his skin and it felt like one of James' playful pecks on the cheeks.

"I see you like it." Nanako's voice broke into his reverie. Ryoma turned to her and saw that she's holding up black cropped pants. He took it and put it on, admiring his cousin's take in clothes. "It's not like I get the opportunity to dress you up all the time." she added with a sweet smile on her lips.

She suddenly draped a familiar-looking white jacket on his shoulders that he immediately recognized as his old Chilton tennis jacket with the words "Kaiser" explicitly printed on the back. Kaiser is the title given to the captains of the clubs who did extraordinary things for the good of the school. Ryoma, who brought the team three inter-school championships in a row, earned him the coveted title.

"There, you're ready." Nanako said breathlessly after she donned Ryoma's delicate feet with a pair of camouflage Chucks.

Ryoma was impressed at his reflection. His usual take on fashion ever since he arrived in Japan are simple shirts, shorts and snickers. "Not bad, not bad at all." He muttered while turning around.

Nanako chuckled and handed Ryoma the necessities he will be bringing mainly;

Lucky friendship bands that Sylvan painstakingly made for him: CHECK!

Ultra-cool Nokia N93 (might get surprise calls from US): CHECK!

Samsung E530 (might get calls with in the vicinity of Tokyo): CHECK!

His trusty black IPOD Nano (can't go anywhere without his music): CHECK!

Wallet (aside from cash and his ATM cards, it has his new dual currency debit card fresh from the mailbox): CHECK!

Reliable white cap fresh from the laundry: CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!

Good thing his pants come with extra large zipper pockets to put his things. It's not always that he brings this stuff outside. He's very determined to keep up with the not-so-rich image of his. By the time he was done ogling at himself in the mirror, Nanako was done tidying up his room.

"So I heard from Jii-san and Ba-san that this morning that you got yourself quite a love-struck puppy." She while as they went for the stairs.

Ryoma smirk as a faint blush crept up his cheeks. "What's you're take on it?" he asked.

"Well, does Karupin like him? I mean, she wasn't so fascinated with Tezuka-kun and you two broke up." Nanako said cautiously, knowing that she's treading on fragile ground. 'The main reason is that she's given to you by Carlos and you know she doesn't like any other people that don't have any connection with him.' she added mentally. Her assumption was proven wrong when she saw her cousin snickered.

"Like? More like adore." He told her.

The girl stopped dead on her tracks as she was gaping in awe at her cousin. "No. Way." She muttered. 'That's not true! I saw how she scratched, mauled and desperately tried to inflict physical harm on Tezuka-kun! I so have to meet this guy!' she was about to say another word but Ryoma was already downstairs.

"Do I know this guy?" she asked as she thundered down the steps.

Ryoma raised a brow and shrugged. "Oh you do."

Nanako opened her mouth to inquire but the sound of the door bell interrupted her.

"He's here." Ryoma said.

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The sun is already high up in the sky and still none of his other teammates has arrived in their designated meeting place. Kaidou huffed and scowled at every passer-by. 'Ten minutes. They're ten minutes late!' he mentally protested. As usual, he wasn't so ecstatic about this recreational day-off but if it's for the team, so he's swayed.

"Now don't look too grumpy Kaidou-kun. You're scaring everybody." Someone spoke up behind him. Kaidou turned around to hiss at the culprit but back out when he realized it was Ryuzaki-sensei sans granddaughter. She was wearing street clothes but still…she old. Kaidou nodded and decided to replace his scowl with a pout. A few seconds later they heard footsteps and soon Inui and Kawamura emerged.

"Yo." Inui greeted. Kawamura, the polite boy that he is, bowed to greeted Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Fshuu… they're late." The sophomore hissed.

Inui placed a comforting arm around his kohai's shoulders. "Patience is a virtue." He said that made Kaidou blush.

"sorryi'mlate'cozIgrabbedabiteonmywayhere!" a rather flushed Momoshiro appeared. Ryuzaki-senpai waved his apology off saying "it's ok". Two minutes later, the golden pair shows up still the same, still glued to each other.

"Fuji sent me a message that he will be running late since he'll be picking Saeki up." Oishi reported which garnered concerned stares. "It was agreed upon that we can bring someone along." The fukubuchou said. Kikumaru was busy chatting with Momoshiro about their O'chibi-cheering up plan when Fuji arrived with Rokaku's fukubuchou himself, Saeki Kojiroh. The boy greeted them casually and soon the Seigaku regulars became at ease with his presence.

"Echizen sent me an SMS saying that he will be bringing someone along too." Fuji announced which baffled the whole team.

"But how are we going to give O'chibi maximum entertainment if he has company?" Kikumaru wailed.

"Now, now Eiji everything will turn out fine." Oishi consoled his boyfriend/doubles partner.

"The plan is ruined!" he continued whining.

"Kikumaru-senpai is such a drama queen." Somebody spoke up from nowhere.

They all spun around to see who it was and was utterly surprised to see ½ of Hyotei's undefeated doubles pair, Ohtori Choutarou all in his 6-foot glory and silver cross gleaming under the bright sunshine standing right next to Ryoma.

"Konnichiwa minna-san!"

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Nanako was still in a daze long after Ryoma and Ohtori left the house. It came as a bit of surprise to her. Imagine, her cousin hooking up with her most loyal customer? It was quite impossible to do at first given that Hyotei is located far away from Seigaku. Even when she was driving she can't keep her mind off her cousin's boyfriend-to-be.

'Ok, they're still not officially on as a couple but…seriously? He's way too similar to Carlos, well sans the drama queen streak but still…' Nanako sighed. 'I hope Ryoma's not just confused or something. And even Karupin jumped in glee when she spotted him.' she shook her head. 'That was the icing on the cake.'

She was off to get some readings in the library then after that she's off to RJ. 'Well the kid hasn't acted like that in months. I think this could actually work…I hope…'

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"So meaning to say you're TOGETHER, together?" Momoshiro asked for the nth time while they set out to find Ryoma's preferred eating place, no other than Republika de Jarina. For the rest of Seigaku regulars and Saeki, it was a first, for the two people being questioned now, they've lost count.

The news about Ryoma dating Ohtori created a helluva mix of reaction from the others. Momoshiro and Kikumaru shifted into their protective mode, believing that Ohtori is a sly person trying to corrupt dear O'chibi and fired questions at Ohtori one after the other which Ryoma answered each one by a "mada mada dane". Poor naïve Kaidou and shy Kawamura blushed at the information they're getting, Inui whipped out his trusty green notebook and scribbled something on it while chuckling to himself; talk about creepy and Oishi was doing damage control. Fuji, Saeki and Ryuzaki-sensei on the other hand just listened to them, patiently waiting for their turn.

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Mada mada dane, Momo-senpai." he flatly said. He was getting annoyed by the constant pestering of his senpais. Once is enough…but nth times? Come on!

Ohtori chuckled a little, seeing Ryoma's obvious annoyance. He wouldn't mind answering the question himself but he loved the way Cat-eyes rolls his cute golden eyes, sighs in frustration and scoffs at the constant prying. 'He's so adorable.' He mentally noted.

Fuji on the other hand was too intrigued to comment. He's saving his questions for later. 'Who knew Echizen would go for guys like Ohtori-kun.' He added silently.

Saeki caught his friend's amused expression and got the message. 'Poor Echizen. Sooner or later, Syusuke will uncover the truth, by hook or by crook.' He thought as he raked a hand through his grayish locks. 'Not that I don't mind.' His eyes caught sight of Ryoma's behind. 'At such a young age he's already oozing with sex appeal. Why didn't I notice this before?' he mentally berated himself.

"How long have you been dating? When did it start?" Kikumaru prodded.

Ryoma sighed in frustration. He opened his mouth to speak but Ohtori placed a comforting arm on his shoulders. Ryoma looked up to him and saw Ohtori mouthed "thank you."

"Well, we started hanging out two days after Kantou Championship." The Hyotei sophomore replied. Momo and Kikumaru gasped in surprise.

"Really?" Inui injected. Ryoma was about to protest when Ohtori stopped in his tracks.

"We're here." He said.

The rest of them stopped as well and stared at the artsy shop. Ryoma walked towards the door and it automatically opened.

"Hi! Welcome to Republika de Jari—"Tsubame greeted but her voice was soon dispersed by a loud…

"YOU?!?!?!?!?!"

It took a couple of seconds for everyone to realize what was happening. It was Fuji who recovered first. "What a coincidence this is! Hello to you all, Hyotei regulars." he flashed his freaky smile while the rest of his companions stared back at the equally shocked Hyotei regulars seated inside.

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Atobe was furious...no… he was raving in anger. Not only that their peaceful eat-out was disturbed by plebeians like Seigaku but what's worse is that they've finally found out who Ohtori was dating: RYOMA ECHIZEN OF CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!! That was a great, no an enormous pitfall from his plans to make Echizen his. It's not that he's putting Ohtori down but this is Echizen. Atobe mentally engraved his name on the freshman's body the first time they met meaning he is ORE-SAMA'S PROPERTY.

'Ore-sama didn't beat Tezuka so bad for nothing. I saw the way the brat looks at Tezuka during the game. I couldn't fathom the fact that Tezuka is yet another rival in him that's why I hurt him.' Atobe took a sip juice to calm his self. 'And here I thought I will have my chance after they broke up but damn I never realized Ohtori is one sly, sneaky bitch.' He added. If it wasn't for his upbringing, he would've thrown a hissy fit as huge as Texas already but no. he will have his talk with Ohtori later. He is Atobe Keigo, heir to a business empire and he is not going to let some sophomore steal his prospect away. He eyes caught glimpse of Shishido who was in his worst sulking mood to date. Then suddenly, an idea hit Atobe. 'What Ore-sama wants Ore-sama gets.' He though triumphantly as he watched them occupy the table next to theirs. 'And Shishido will pave the way.'

Ryoma took off his jacket and asked Ohtori to hold it for him for a while. He soon disappeared from the room unnoticed since the strings of animosity between Seigaku and Hyotei are still blazing in fire.

"Now kids, we came here to have fun. Set aside the rivalry and let us enjoy the food." Ryuzaki-sensei said sternly just before Tsubame handed her the menu. She continued glaring at them until they finally decided to ease up. They placed their orders and settled into a comfortable silence when…

"So Ohtori-kun, are you officially on now?" Fuji suddenly asked. Everyone turned his attention to the blushing Hyotei sophomore.

"Well, let's just say we're getting there." Ohtori replied. His seat was the closest to Hyotei's table.

"How did you two hook up?" Gakuto added. 'This is so interesting! I hate to admit but I'm happy for Ohtori-kun. Echizen's a nice catch.' He added mentally.

"Music." Inui was the one who supplied the information. This earned a collective "oh" from the crowd.

"Echizen's a musician?" Atobe asked, one perfectly shaped brow arched dup in amusement. 'Play along, Keigo. Just play along."

"Yup." Ohtori replied, his smile getting bigger. He wasn't ware of the dark aura of jealousy surrounding Shishido and Atobe at the moment. He even thought they're happy for him. 'Shishido-senpai will understand.' He mentally added.

"No way! We're talking about Echizen here." Momo interrupted. Nobody in Seigaku's circle knew about this side of Ryoma. 'I'm practically his best friend!' he mentally protested.

"I know." Ryuzaki-sensei stated and everyone looked at her. 'Well, I coached his father didn't I? Echizen must've inherited his parent's musical prowess." She added.

"So do you actually love him or just like him?" Shishido suddenly asked, trying to calm himself.

Ohtori blushed even more but was rather sure when he replied a firm "Love". He was about to say something when an employee dashed out of the room where Ryoma entered earlier and was ranting something to Tsubame.

"I don't know what to do Hiroki-san. He just came in and started taking a bag of marshmallows and gummy bears. Should we call the police? He looked a lot like Minue-san but I was too shocked to react!" the girl ranted. She looked very pale and frightened. "And when I asked for his name he just looked at me with very scary, very creepy cat-like eyes!" she added. This caught the attention of their customers.

The door suddenly opened and Ryoma came out holding a bag of marshmallows on one arm and a bag of gummy bears on the other.

"It's him!" the girl cried, while pointing a shaky finger on Ryoma. The young boy stopped and stared at the scene in front of him. he shrugged and took his seat beside Ohtori while passing the goods to everyone.

" did you just steal from the shop Ryoma?" Oishi asked, a look of utter disbelief was plastered on his face. everybody stared at the freshman who just popped another gummy bear inside his mouth. the stillness of the air was cut short by a hysterical laughter courtesy of Tsubame.

" what's going on?" Eiji asked, looking very confused.

" I'm really sorry Ryoma-sama." Tsubame started. " the newbies were not prepped properly." she turned to face Chiyo. " you don't have to worry Chiyo. Ryoma-sama is Na-chan's cousin. he always does this everytime he's here but he does pay for what he forages from the storage room." Tsubame explained while she handed them their orders. her explanation earned a collective " Oh" from the crowd. the poor girl on the other hand was in the verge of tears.

" I think you should say something." Ohtori nudged Ryoma. the freshman made a face when...

" I'm back!!!!" the door opened and revealed a very candid Nanako but her bright smile was soon gone when she saw Chiyo in tears. " oh honey, what happened?" she asked worriedly as she approached the girl.

" ohhh...you're cousins!" Momo suddenly cried.

" that's quite obvious moron." Shishido hissed at him. the Seigaku sophomore glared at him.

" what happened?" Nanako asked again as Chiyo dissolved into fits of tears.

" First Day Prank courtesy of your dear cousin." Tsubame supplied the answer while she laid out their drinks. Nanako glared at Ryoma who just raised his eyebrow.

" Ryo, apologize to her." Ohtori whispered in his ear.

To their surprise, Ryoma stood up with his hands on the hips. " ooh I think I made your new girl cry Na-chan." he said in a girly voice. everybody gaped at him as his face contorted into a mocking crying face. " and I think I'm gonna cry as well! Boohoohoohoo!!!"

"Ryoma..." Ohtori warned but when he glanced at Chiyo, the girl was already smilling.

" but I wont..." the freshman's face returned to its normal cocky state as he sat back on his chair.. " it'll ruin the image." Nanako shooked her head and ushered Chiyo into the office. " you're such a little devil."

the two girls were long gone but Ryoma's companions were still in a shock. it was Saeki who first recovered. " Are you sick or something Echizen?" he asked. and amazingly, as if he's coming down with a bad case of Schizophrenia, the Seigaku freshman looked up to with puppy eyes as if the whole moment stint never occured.

" what happened?" he asked. his senpais can only shake their heads in amazement. Echizen Ryoma is indeed a box full of surprises.

Ohtori smiled a little at his koibito's behavior. Everything that the freshman did was sooo adorable that he couldn't help but ruffle his dark locks, earning a verbal wail of "Choutarou!" and his cream puff being snatched away from him. The others were just staring at them all the time like they were lab rats. 'I don't mind. As long as Ryoma's beside me, they don't exist.' He added mentally as he got engaged into another heat gaze with his paramour.

'Urgh this is disgusting!' Shishido mentally cursed when Ohtori and Ryoma became all lovey-dovey once more. There's a constant stinging pain in his chest that he couldn't explain every time he looks at them. 'I should be the one in Ryoma's seat right now! Me! Me! Me!' he continued with his mental hissy fit.

"Where are we going after this?" Kikumaru asked after finishing off his French Sub. He looked around and saw the almost everyone is done with their meals.

Inui check in his notebook again. "Karaoke Inui Style." He said with his glasses flashing menacingly. His announcement earned a collective groan from the Seigaku crowd which got the attention of the Hyotei crowd.

"Is that so bad?" Oshitari asked them.

Everyone on Seigaku's table except for Saeki, Inui and Fuji made a face. "That bad?" Jirou asked, quite intrigued.

"The mechanics would be a raffle, both for the songs and the singer. Each one must belt it out or else, anyone with a point lower than 90 will have to drink a full glass of Inui's latest concoction, Penal-tea Ultra Deluxe." Fuji explained. The rest on his table paled at the news and looked like they would want to escape from the place. "Anyone who will back out will not be allowed to play during Senbatsu Camp." Fuji added.

"NO WAY!!!" Kikumaru, Ryoma, Momo and Kaidou cried in protest.

"Unbelievable! I thought I made it clear that this would be an Inui-free day." Oishi complained.

"Nah, you'll take away the thrill Oishi." Fuji told him with his eternal smile plastered on his lips.

"Sounds fun! Can we join?" Jirou suddenly spoke up, his face beamed with energy and no sign of lethargy is left on his system.

"You gotta be kidding me Akutagawa. Ore-sama doesn't involve himself into such meager events." Atobe huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Sounds fun." Ohtori spoke up, trying to cheer Ryoma who seemed to succumb into another round of sulking. One perfectly shaped brow arched up and Atobe changed his mind. 'I'm not going to let you off in peace with MY Echizen, Ohtori-kun.'

"Fine! Be ecstatic because Ore-sama decided that we will join you." Atobe announced, earning him protests from Gakuto.

"By the look on their faces, this juice seemed like poison!" he stood up and stomped his feet. HA! Talk about another drama queen.

"Are you telling me you're chickening out Mukahi?" Atobe shot back at him. Gakuto was about to give Atobe a piece of his mind when he felt Oshitari's hand on his arm.

"Enough Gakuto." He said.

Kikumaru was all against the idea as well, not because of Inui juice but because Hyotei is not part of their O'chibi Day.

After eating, Ryoma again surprised them by paying for their food (Hyotei's as well) with his card. Momo, thinking of vengeance for all the burgers he paid, wanted to order take-out but got an unfeeling "mada mada dane" in return.

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Soon they were all seated inside the biggest room they can find in one of Tokyo's biggest karaoke bar. They decided that it's going to be a survival of the fittest but they were group into three. The firs group is composed by: Atobe, Oishi, Saeki, Ryuzaki, Kaidou and Ohtori. The second group is composed by: Fuji, Gakuto, Jirou, Inui and Ryoma. And the last group is composed by: Eiji, Momo, Kawamura, Oshitari, Shishido and Hiyoshi. Another rule was added to the game. The team with the lowest score average will not only drink a beaker-full of Inui juice but also will be the winning team's slaves of a day during Senbatsu camp.

Before they started, Ohtori excused himself to go to the restroom and soon Atobe followed him unnoticed. Ohtori was washing his hands when Atobe came in. Hyotei's captain locked the door so that no one will disturb them.

"Hey Buchou. Are you having fun today?" Ohtori good-naturedly asked.

Atobe sighed and stood beside Ohtori. He leaned in to check his face in the mirror. "So you and Echizen hooked up behind my back." He said, giving Ohtori side-glances. This confused the younger boy. 'What is Atobe-buchou talking about?' Ohtori asked.

Atobe turned to face him with arms crossed. "Did you know that he used to date Tezuka?" he asked.

Ohtori took a deep breath before answering. "Yes Buchou. I know." He replied. Ohtori's heart beat faster when he saw Atobe's perfectly-shaped eyebrow arched up.

"Did you know why they broke up?" he pressed.

Ohtori was unable to take Atobe's piercing glare. "Yes I know Buchou. What's the fuss all about?" Ohtori asked back, meeting his senpai's anger glare.

Atobe snorted. 'If I told you, would you give him up?' he mentally supplied the dreaded question but he chose otherwise. "I want Echizen for myself, Ohtori. I want you to understand that perfectly." He stated without any qualms.

The confession shook Ohtori to the core. If he hadn't know Atobe for quite sometime, he would swear his captain was kidding…but no. from the first time that they met, it was made perfectly to him what kind of a person his senpai is. Ohtori took a deep breath to calm his self. His mind is going a mile a second now, trying to think the right words to say.

"I'm sorry Atobe-buchou. But Ryoma is with me now." He started. He could see the anger that flashed across his captain's dark blue-gray eyes. "I look up to you as my captain and as my senior. My loyalty to the team shall never falter but let me inform you Atobe-buchou that all is fair in love and in war, despite the status that we hold." He bowed down to Atobe which sparked the latter's annoyance more. "Gomen nasai Atobe-buchou but I can never give you what you want." With this, Ohtori left his dumb-founded captain. 'I won't give him up Atobe-buchou. You will have to kill me before I do that.' He added silently as he walked out of the restroom.

It took a couple of seconds more before Atobe could recover. He never realized Ohtori can be intimidating but that alone will not faze the great Ore-sama. His lips curved up into a leer as a thought came across his mind. "You might not give him up dear Ohtori-kun but someone else will hand him to me." he said and let out a maniacal laugh before following his kohai's suit.

By the time that he got back into their room, Saeki is already up front, getting ready for his song. His adept eyes caught Ohtori who, when he came in, snuggled closer to Echizen. Ignoring the torrents of anger in his stomach, he took his seat next to him with a smug look on his face.

"Are you ok, Choutarou-senpai? You look grim." Ryoma asked, his voice filled with concern as he caressed Ohtori's cheek. The sophomore smiled, took his hand and kissed it. "Nah, it's just that the restroom smelled too much chlorine and I never liked that." He said and placed a chaste kiss on the freshman's forehead. Seeing this, Atobe and Shishido looked like they wanted to rip the two apart, thankful that Saeki's blaring rendition of "I will survive" did the job. Soon he was done and his score was up, 90.

"Whew! That was close!" Saeki sighed in relief when he took his seat. Inui reached out for a name and soon relieved Ryoma as the next singer.

"Ganbatte Cat-eyes!" Ohtori cheered when Ryoma went up front. The freshman smiled at the name Ohtori used. This made the rest, except for Atobe and Shishido smile. Inui handed him a piece of paper indicating the code number for his song.

'I hope it's Head over heels. Please let it be Head over heels.' Ryoma silently wished as Fuji entered the code. "Good luck Echizen! You don't have to be in tune all the time. Just blare it out." Inui whispered to him. Ryoma smirk, guessing almost all of them believed he couldn't hit a note. "Just you wait and see. I'll blow your pants off.' He added mentally. And then, as if the heavens heard his plea, the title "Head over Heels" flashed on the screen. He placed the microphone on its stand and beamed at them.

"This song is dedicated to Choutarou-senpai." he said shortly before the song started. Ohtori turned red as a tomato and this earned a bout of teasing from the others which came to a halt when they heard Ryoma singing.

_I had, no choice, but to hear you_

_You stated your case, time, and again_

_I thought about it_

Ohtori sat there, frozen, just like the rest of them as he tried to understand what Ryoma wants to tell him.

'Listen carefully Choutarou-senpai. I'm ready. You don't have to wait any longer.' Ryoma mused as he glued his eyes into Ohtori's.

"Wow…newsflash! The brat can sing." Oshitari announced. 'A pretty good one too.'

"Oh my god I can't believe this." Eiji muttered, totally awed by Ryoma's soothing voice. "I never realized the brat could sing." Momo added. Atobe just sat there, petrified by Ryoma's soft voice. It was like he's being rocked gently into an endless dreamy state.

_You treat me like I'm a princess_

_I'm not used to, lying in bed_

_You ask how my day was_

_You've already won me over in spite of me,_

_And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet_

_And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are_

_I couldn't help it; it's all your fault_

'Are you saying that I think you're saying, Cat-eyes?' Ohtori's heart joyfully thumped harder. 'Oh god…ohgodohgodohgod…OH GOD!!!!' he mentally shouted when he finally realized Ryoma's massage. 'Thank you so much Ryoma. I promise I will never hurt you.'

_Your love is thick, and it's swallowed me whole_

_You're so much braver, than I gave you credit for_

_That's not lip service_

"Ii data…" Inui muttered as he observed the invisible connection between Ryoma and Ohtori. Fuji noticed him and muttered, "What are you thinking?" the tensai asked the data man.

"I've never had so much interesting data before! Fufufu…this is fun." He adjusted his glasses and smiled. Fuji smiled back; clearly amused by the scene he's referring too. It seems like Ryoma's attention is directed to only one person and that is Ohtori. 'If only Mitsu will be like that.' He mused.

_You've already won me over in spite of me,_

_And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet_

_And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are_

_I couldn't help it; it's all your fault_

'In my search for love, you are the answer Choutarou. I will do my best to make you happy. You have given me your heart, now I shall give you all of me.' Ryoma conversed with his soulful brown eyes. A warm feeling flooded in his heart, Ryoma felt he was in heaven. Despite the people inside the room, he felt no qualms in letting his guards down. 'For Choutarou…' with this, tears welled up in his eyes.

_You are the bearer, of unconditional things,_

_You held, your breath, and the door for me_

_Thanks for, your patience_

_You're the, best listener that I've ever met_

_You're my best friend, best friend with benefits_

_What took me so long?_

'If only I was the one you're singing to Echizen. Kami-sama…you don't know how much I wanted it to be me." Atobe bitterly mused as he clenched his firsts. He was awed by the amount of emotion the freshman evoked in him. It was something no one has ever done before. 'Why not me, Echizen? Why?'

_I've never felt, this healthy before_

_I've never wanted, something rational_

_I am aware now, oh I am aware now_

Ryoma took a deep breath as the song escalated a note. He finally felt a solitary tear escaped his eyes. 'Tears of joy…god! How long have I had tears of joy?' he felt his lips trembled and his fingers shook is excitement. For the first time since he started singing, he turned his attention of the other occupants of the room and saw Ryuzaki-sensei smiling at him.

'I'm glad someone else can make you happy like this. It's nice to know that you're moving on. It's been two years. I'm sure Carlos will understand." She nodded with a knowing smile on her lips. This did not go unnoticed for Fuji and Oshitari. It intrigued them, knowing that the Seigaku coach knows something that they don't.

_You've already won me over in spite of me,_

_And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet_

_And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are_

_I couldn't help it; it's all your fault_

Ohtori closed his eyes as he summoned all his self-control to keep himself from smothering Ryoma with kisses right that moment. He sighed as a rush of victory filled his being. Ryoma is now officially his. That alone is a great achievement. 'Thank you Cat-eyes for giving me the chance to love you. I promise…I will never leave you like Tezuka did.'

_I couldn't help it; it's all your fault_

'I sorry Carlos but I think I've found the ONE. Please don't be mad. He loves me and I love him as well." Ryoma mused as he neared the end of the song.

_I couldn't help it; it's all your fault_

'You were right. I will find someone who will love me as much as you did…or better, more than you did…'

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A/N: argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So hard keeping up with the length of the story!!!! I'll try to make the next chapters shorter…if I can. Ok? Please review!!!


	8. stand up for love

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient. Ryoma will be the one doing the singing/playing in this chapter with two important characters in the story I have yet to reveal who

This chapter is not Ohtori-Ryoma centric. I have a different theme.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Stand up for love". Destiny's Child does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text messages. There will also be a cameo appearance of Dr. Ichiro Mihara or Dr. I-chan from Angelic Layer, just a tiny part.

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Yesterday was a fun day indeed. It turned out that aside from Ryoma and Choutarou, Oishi, Hiyoshi, Jirou, Atobe, Oshitari, Fuji and Ryuzaki-sensei showed some talent in singing. Momo and Kaidou on the other hand sang so poorly that they were not able to finish the song since Inui already forced the juice down their throats. The casualties for that day were the whole Team Eiji and Kaidou. What mortified them that most was Eiji's rendition of "Nasty Girl" especially when he sashayed towards Oishi and gave him some sort of lap dance. Ohtori had to cover Ryoma's eyes to shield him from the "impure things" Eiji-senpai is doing. Not that Ryoma would mind the light display. He's not going to admit out loud that he's not a vestal virgin anymore but he was amused by Ohtori's protectiveness.

By the end of the day a winner was declared. Team One jumped in glee when they got their final score which was 97. Ryoma's team breathed easy when theirs followed with a 95. Poor Team Eiji though since they only had an 89. Not only that they all will drink Penal-tea Ultra Deluxe but they are going to be Team One's slaves for a day. All of them actually passed out when each drank a beaker-full of the acrid juice and were needed to be carried home.

Ohtori asked to be left behind when Atobe offered the Hyotei regulars a ride home. He was determined to walk his koibito home on their first day as an official couple.

Flashback

_Ohtori and Ryoma were walking hand in hand across the park. It was such a romantic moment as the sun chose to pave their way with its crimson rays._

"_Ano, Ryoma…" Ohtori paused and stared down a pair of golden eyes. His smile broadened when he saw Ryoma smiled back. "The swing's free." He said, pointing at the empty swings. The young boy nodded and let Ohtori drag him to the playground. He sat on one of the swings and soon felt Ohtori pushing him lightly. _

"_I don't think I would be able to forget the look on Oishi-senpai's face when Eiji-senpai gave him an impromptu lap dance." Ryoma said while enjoying the gentle wind breezed across his face. _

"_I told you to close your eyes Ryoma." Ohtori chuckled as he continued pushing Ryoma. From afar they looked like brothers hanging out. _

"_Nah! I wouldn't miss something like that! Oishi-senpai's reaction was priceless…aside from probably having an instant hard-on." Ryoma smirked. A second later the sun disappeared form the sky and he realized that he stopped swinging. Ryoma looked up to Ohtori was felt his heart thumped faster as he succumbs into his senpai's passionate brown eyes. _

"_You're such a naughty boy Cat-eyes." Ohtori said and leaned down to place a chaste kiss on Ryoma's forehead. The soft contact made Ryoma close his eyes in bliss. He opened his eyes a few seconds after and realized that Ohtori transferred up front and was kneeling in front of him, his beautiful face only two inches away from his. "You deserve some punishment." He murmured. Ryoma felt a shiver ran up his spine when Ohtori's rasp voice registered into his brain. _

"_Nah…you can't punish me." Ryoma smirked and bravely moved his face an inch closer. "I'm too cute to be punished." He added. His last comment made Ohtori chuckle a little before finally closing the distance left, letting his lips capture Ryoma's in a slow, sweet kiss. _

End of Flashback

RIIIIIIIING!!!!!! RIIIINNNNGGGG!!!

Ryoma groaned and reached out only to knock his alarm clock off his nightstand, making it crash hard on the floor.

"Shounen! Did you just break your alarm clock again?!" Nanjiroh's voice thundered from outside. Ryoma groaned once more and succumbed deeper into his soft bed. It's Sunday and Ohtori told him that they have a team meeting. They agreed that they would just see each other tomorrow, giving way for some errands that needs to be attended

"Shounen!" his father bellowed once more, followed by loud, or rather thundering raps on his door.

Ryoma soon gave up and grumpily left his bed to open the door. "Baka Oyaji…what now?" he barked back when he opened the door.

"Are you just going to lie there all day or are you going to get your ass up and come downstairs?" Nanjiroh hissed at his son. 'Damn I hate morning duties!' he added mentally. "Didn't you tell us yesterday that you're going down the hospital today?" he added.

Ryoma's cute brown eyes widened when realization dawned on him. "Oh shit!" he spat and abruptly shut the door on his father's face. He went to make his bed and haphazardly threw his self into the bathroom.

"Baka shounen…" Nanjiroh muttered as he massaged his sore forehead.

Ever since they arrived in Japan, Ryoma took it as a habit to visit Shoujou-houin General Hospital, an hour drive from his house, and cheer up the children in the cancer ward. It's so unlike from his stoic, cocky image but he's happy when he makes those children happy. One time he brought a big storybook and started a story-telling session with cancer-laden kids, sometimes he plays them songs that would encourage them to keep up with the fight. Ryoma has a strong feeling towards hospitals. It's a place he both loved and hated.

If took only a few minutes for Ryoma to go downstairs and eat his breakfast. It was agreed that Nanako will give him a lift to the hospital this time for his parents will be darn busy in the restaurant. They will be hosting their first formal event, a family reunion so they will have no time to drive Ryoma all the way to the other side of the prefecture. After devouring his Japanese breakfast, he loaded Nanako's Altis with his trusty guitar and a big bag full of colored papers and other art stuff. Today he feels like teaching the kids how to do origami. The minute Nanako's car pulled out of the driveway, Ryoma was sleeping quietly on the backseat. Nanako couldn't help but smile at her cousin's sleeping visage.

It was a silent 1 hour drive to Shoujou-houin General Hospital and neither said a word until Ryoma hopped off the car and gave his cousin a wave goodbye before entering the building.

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"What are you doing here? Are you visiting someone?" the brunette asked the scarred boy. The latter in turn sighed deeply before scanning the sparse hall. Fuji Yuuta has no idea why he's being interrogated by Rikkai's devil, Kirihara Akaya but he just led him on.

"check-up." he answered timidly. His answer sparked the interest of the preppy brunette.

"Why? Are you sick?" he asked, brushing a hand through his messed up hair.

"What of it?" Yuuta asked Kirihara and the latter just shrugged. "Fine. Parents learned about my twist spin shot and its possible damage to my shoulders so here I am, doing my monthly check up with the orthodontist."

Kirihara gaped for a while. "Wow, try harsh!" he said. "Well, you're luckier than the person I'm visiting. Mura-buchou needs to have surgery and he wanted it as soon as possible but most doctors here are quite apprehensive about his case." The brunette sighed, sadness reflected on his brown eyes.

"Yukimura Seiichi?" Yuuta stared at him in surprise. "Yeah I heard. What's his case?" he asked.

"Guillan-Barre'. The whole team's here to visit him. We're kind of hoping that the best neurosurgeon here would do the procedure but to do that we would have to fall in line and wait." Kirihara murmured. 'I'm really worried. I wish there's something I could do to help.' He added mentally. He felt a soft tap on his arm and saw Yuuta pointing at the end of the hall.

"Hey, I saw Echizen from Seigaku just passed by." Yuuta told him. Kirihara's sadness faded in a flash. "Really?" he asked.

"He went over there! Come on; let's see what he's doing here." Yuuta told him. Kirihara was having second thoughts for his team might look for him but the thought of having a game with Echizen made him realize that they'll call if he's needed.

"Let's go!"

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Tezuka was about to retire for the night when he decided to check his email account. He was quite surprised to see two messages in his inbox; one was from Oishi, and one from Atobe. He opened Oishi's email first and read his friend's report about the status of the team. 'Nothing's wrong is going on so far.' He thought when he finished he opened Atobe's email and was utterly surprised at the very beginning of the letter.

Tezuka,

**YOUR EX ALREADY HAS A BOYFRIEND! **Just so to let you know, it's my kohai, Ohtori Choutarou. I think the brat's over you already so get on with your life and live happily ever after with Fuji. That's all…I just want to be the first to let you know. Ciao! Oh yeah…get well soon.

Ore-sama

Tezuka didn't know how to react to the news. He felt his fingers grew cold and his throat is closing up. "Ryoma has a new boyfriend and it's that freakishly tall boy from Hyotei…" he muttered absent-mindedly. He replied with a short thank you message then he immediately turned the computer off.

'I should be very happy right now, knowing that Ryoma has found someone to take care of him…" Tezuka thought bitterly as he collapsed on his bed. "Then why do I feel so hurt right now?" he asked out loud. He could feel the tears welling up his eyes and soon he couldn't do anything to stop it from flowing. 'Why am I hurting like this?' he mentally berated himself. Unable to find a sufficient answer, he hugged his knees and cried himself to sleep.

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Ryoma was able to hide his surprise to see Yuuta and Kirihara. He was about to go to the children's cancer ward when he felt a hand grabbed his arm and gently yanked him aside.

"Sup Echizen! What brings you here?!" Kirihara cheerfully asked while the freshman just glared back at them.

"None of your business." Ryoma snapped back, clearly unpleased by the surprised attack.

"We're just surprised to see you here Echizen, that's all." Yuuta added. Ryoma was still confused especially seeing these two together. 'When did Fuji-senpai's brother and Kirihara hooked up?' he mentally asked.

Ryoma just snorted before turning to walk away from them but to his dismay, the two sophomores still followed him.

"Did you know that Mura-buchou and Tachibana from Fudomine are confined here?" Kirihara asked him when they caught up. Ryoma paused and stared at them. "Really?"

"Really." Kirihara nodded.

"So what brings you here, Echizen?" Yuuta asked again beckoning at the freshman's luggage. Ryoma sighed in defeat and continued walking until he stopped in front of the door to the cancer ward.

"Ohayou Echizen-kun. They missed you so much." The nurse in-charged of the station greeted him with a sweet smile. Ryoma smiled back a little before turning his back to his senpais who are confused with the exchange of greetings.

"Fine I'll let you see what I'm doing here but first, when you get inside, don't ever, I mean DON'T ever show the kids pity or else I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to walk for days." Ryoma told them with a distinct firmness in his voice.

"Uh ok." The older boys nodded, still confused.

"And don't fake you're cheerfulness. They can sense it. Make sure that you're 100 honest with what you say." Ryoma added.

"Ok."

"And don't forget that you're entering the children's cancer ward so be cautious in everything you do and say." Ryoma said.

"The cancer ward?" Kirihara muttered, looking quite unsure. Yuuta stared at the freshman in awe. 'Wow so Echizen is doing community work?' he mentally asked. Ryoma opened the door and led them through a series of sanitation procedures. They even had to wear hospital gowns until they were finally allowed to go inside.

Yuuta and Kirihara gaped in awe when they entered the ward. It wasn't like the usual hospital wards with white walls. The walls were painted to resemble a meadow during spring and the beds are of different and colorful animal-shapes. It was more like a kindergarten room than a hospital ward. However, what amazed them most was the reaction of the children inside when Ryoma came in. at first they were lying in their respective beds, looking very sickly but they suddenly sat up, and those who are able, jumped up in glee upon the sight of the freshman. There was even a little pale girl to walked towards him and embraced Ryoma like he was a long lost relative.

"We miss you so much Ryoichi-senpai!" the pale girl with black ponytail chimed, smiling toothily at Ryoma.

"Ne Maho-chan, are you feeling ok?" Ryoma kneeled and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Hai!" the girl replied. She peeked aside to look at Yuuta and Kirihara. "You brought friends, senpai?" the girl asked, blinking a couple of times, trying to register the newcomers' faces.

Ryoma stood up and led the girl towards the two. "Maho, this is Akaya-senpai," pointing at Kirihara, "and this is Yuuta-senpai. They're tennis pals." Ryoma said. Kirihara and Yuuta exchanged surprised glances when they heard the word "pals" from Ryoma. They never expected it to come from him, the cocky freshman of Seigaku himself.

"Ohayou, Maho-chan." Kirihara recovered first and waved cheerfully at the girl who in turn beamed and hugged his legs.

"Ohayou, Akaichi-senpai!" she giggled and hugged Kirihara's legs tighter as if she's not seen any other human being other than Ryoma. This sweet innocent gesture from the girl brought a warm feeling into Kirihara's heart.

"Ohayou Maho-chan." Yuuta kneeled as well to level with the little girl. Maho grinned and jumped into Yuuta's arms.

"Be careful Maho-chan." Ryoma called out. They did not realize that the freshman was already surrounded by a sea of kids in pajamas.

"Nice to meet you, Yuuichi-senpai." Maho whispered into his ears.

Yuuta smiled at the girl's affectionate move and lifted the girl up in his arms. He cast a sideward glance at Kirihara who has his hands full with a little boy as well.

"Welcome to Shoujou-houin's Cancer ward." Ryoma said then started introducing every kid to the sophomores. Ryoma was even surprised at himself for being able to remember all their names. 'Maybe because they occupied a precious space in my heart.' He mentally supplied the answer.

"Ryoichi-senpai comes here every Sunday to play with us." A 9 year-old boy named Genki, whom later they learned to have brain tumor, told Kirihara. "Last Sunday we made drawings of your happy places. I wonder what we will do now?" he asked.

"Origami, Genki. We will do colorful paper cranes today." Ryoma answered.

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They have been sitting inside the clubroom for an hour already and still Sakaki-sensei is not done telling the Senbatsu participants to do their best at the camp so that Hyotei could dominate the Senbatsu line-up. Gakuto was still in a killing mood for he was not chosen to come with them along with Jirou and Hiyoshi.

"The whole regular line-up of Seigaku is coming so you do have strong competitions. Please do whatever you can to outlast them all." Sakaki-sensei added. "Atobe, do you have anything to say?" he turned to the resident diva. He realized that he is still not in an amicable mood.

Atobe huffed and uncrossed then crossed his legs. "No hanky panky during camp." He glared at Ohtori who glared back. "We are going there to do business there. If I see your extra activities hinders our performance during camp, be sure you will be dealt accordingly." He checked his nails before saying, "that's all."

Ohtori wanted to let out a sigh of exasperation but he reverted at the thought, knowing that Atobe is up on his grill right now.

"Ok so after this I want you or I command you to go home and get some rest. No more side trips to restaurants or tennis courts. You should be up and well tomorrow." Sakaki-sensei said.

"HAI!" they responded.

"Ok, you're dismissed."

"Shishido…Ore-sama wants to have a word with you…"

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Soon they learned that most of the kids in the ward are undergoing chemotherapy. That explains why most of them are bald at such a young age. Yuuta, being the tough-cookie that he is, did his very best to hold back his tears when he was listening to Maho's story while helping her make her fourth paper crane. He learned that the bubbly little girl has 2nd stage leukemia and was responding very well to treatment. Ryoma said that their goal is to make a thousand paper cranes, referring to the ancient Japanese myth. It his way of telling them that the more cranes they make, it means the more determined they are to overcome their illness. It was easier for Kirihara to deal with the kids since he is naturally cheerful but Ryoma can never miss the flashes of sadness in his eyes while he listened to one kid's story to another.

They stayed with the cancer patients for an hour or so before they went out for a break. It was a good timing because by the time they stepped out of the ward, Yuuta was unable to stop his tears from escaping his eyes.

"You see just how lucky you are?" Ryoma stated as they sat on a bench while Kirihara tried to help Yuuta to calm his self.

"What made you do this Echizen?" Kirihara asked him, his face void of cheerfulness. Ryoma sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's my way of sharing my blessings to other people." He eyed Yuuta who was sobbing silently beside Kirihara, "How's your captain fairing?" he asked the brunette. Kirihara told him about Yukimura's surgery over hot chocolate.

Ryoma pondered on his predicament for a while when…

"Can you sing?" the freshman abruptly asked that made the sophomores spit out their hot beverage in surprise.

"What the hell was that gaki?!" Kirihara snapped at him while wiping himself clean. Ryoma shrugged. "I said, can you sing?" big brown orbs met angry hazel ones.

"I can." Yuuta muttered gloomily while staring at his cup. "But I'm not in the mood." He added.

"Me too…but since you made me choke my coco, you're not getting anything." Kirihara huffed and crossed his arms on his chest.

Ryoma sighed and weighed the possibilities in his head. "Ok, I'll do you a favor regarding your captain if you do one for me as well." He said. Yuuta looked up from his cup while Kirihara gaped at him. "It goes something like this…"

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A few minutes later, they were standing next to Ryoma who was talking to the head of the neurosurgery dept. himself, Dr. Ichiro Mihara. Ryoma told the doctor about Yukimura's case and to their amazement, the man just smiled and said that he will go down and take a look at the patient and see if he's ready of an operation. Dr. Mihara or rather Dr. I-chan as he would like to be called said he'll do his best to reschedule an OR within 24 hrs.

Kirihara marveled at Ryoma's ability to convince such a powerful man. 'Are they related or something?' he mentally asked. He snapped out of his trance when Dr. I-chan said he needs to go. "Arigatou gozaimashitez Dr. I-chan! I don't know what I could do to show you my gratitude." He said, tears gleaming in his eyes.

Dr. I-chan smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "You take care of my favorite barista in the world then I'll be ok with that." He said while beaming at Ryoma who smiled back a little.

"We promise!" Yuuta chimed in, looking very happy as well.

"Mada mada dane Dr. I-chan." Ryoma called while to the doctor's retreating back.

They fell silent for a moment, as if trying to process the whole thing. Kirihara blinked a couple of times before realization dawn on him. "Echizen…" he muttered.

"Save the chitchat for later." Ryoma scoffed. "You have a song to rehearse."

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"What are you trying to say?" Shishido crossed his arms and glared at his buchou.

Atobe let out a maniacal laugh. "Can't your inferior brain process what I just said?" Shishido's glare intensified. "Ok…I'll explain again. Ore-sama wants you to keep Ohtori away from Echizen as often as you can during camp. You'd like that, right? Ore-sama knows that you're smitten by your kohai and I know you've been dying to tear them apart." Atobe finished with a flip of his hair. He stood up and paced the distance between him and Shishido.

"And how would that benefit you?" Shishido asked. His brain was overloading with the information he got but it doesn't mean he's not intrigued by the idea and besides, it is true that he's smitten.

Atobe huffed and smirked at him. "Ore-sama wants Echizen. I've fought a fierce battle with Tezuka just to get him to notice me. I'm not going to let your eye candy to get my winnings, got it?" his eyes glared menacingly at the scarred third year. "If we don't do something then we'll end up with nothing. So…deal?" Atobe extended a manicured hand out to him.

'This is not good but I won't let Choutarou off that easily.' Shishido thought as he clasped his hand with his captain. "Deal."

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They were back inside the ward with the kids huddled around them. The place was filled with excited chatters since its Kirihara and Yuuta's first time to join them in their "jamming sessions".

"Ok kids, we prepared a little song for you. Akaichi-senpai and Yuuichi-senpai worked so hard to perfect the song so listen carefully, ok?" Ryoma told the kids. There was a thundering "YES SENPAI-TACHI!" inside the ward that made the two sophomores more nervous. Earlier, Ryoma did learn that they are good singers, problem is they've never performed for a real audience (karaoke performances with teammates are not included). It took them a few minutes to overcome the nerves.

"O-ok, are you ready kids?" Yuuta stuttered. 'My god I can hear my heart beating against my chest! Can't breathe!' he mentally panicked. Sweat beads are forming on his forehead and he was praying that the ground would swallow him right now. He has never felt so nervous before. In tennis, he rocked but this is singing! He jolted a little when he felt a cold hand tapped his arm. He turned and saw Kirihara nodding at him with a look of determination in his eyes.

'Echizen saved Mura-buchou. I'm not going to let him down.' Kirihara told himself, despite the fact that he can't feel his fingers.

"Are you ready, senpai-tachi?" Ryoma asked. The two nodded firmly in response. Ryoma started strumming with his Spanish guitar. He smiled at Maho as he let his fingers gaze the strings smoothly. He took a deep breath before he started to sing.

_There are times I find it hard to sleep at night_

_We are living through such trouble times_

_And every child that reaches out_

_For someone to hold_

_For one moment_

_They become my own_

His voice sent shivers up the sophomores' spine. His voice was so soft, soothing and yet so full of emotions and reserve. They couldn't help but stare in awe at the alleged Prince of Tennis as he took them to a place of fantasy that his music weaved.

_And how can I pretend that I don't know_

_What's going on?_

_When every second_

_And every minute another soul is gone_

_And I believe that in my life_

_I will see_

_An end to hopelessness_

_Or giving up_

_Or suffering_

Ryoma eyes were glued to the attentive faces of the sick children sitting in front of him. Sick? Yes in the manner of health status, they are but not today. Their faces radiated a certain glow that warms his heart. Ryoma used that emotion they evoked in him to make his song more beautiful. They smiles fanned the overwhelming amount of love, flaring happily inside his heart.

_Then we should stand together this one time_

_Then no one will get left behind_

_And stand up for life_

_Stand up_

_And here me sing_

_Stand up for love_

Yuuta took a deep breath before he started on his part. Earlier, Ryoma decided that he will do the second verse since his voice has a much deeper timbre than Kirihara's. He felt something warm touched him. He looked down and saw Maho reaching up to hold his clammy hands. With this he found courage to sing his heart out. 'For the kids.' He told himself firmly.

_I'm inspired and hope_

_For each and everyday_

_That's how I know that things are gonna change_

_And how can I pretend that I don't know_

_What's going on?_

_When every second_

_And every minute_

_Another soul is gone_

All the time Kirihara was sitting next to Ryoma, a finger pressing near his ear so that he wouldn't miss when it's time for him to do the second voice.

_And I believe that in my life I will see_

_An end to hopelessness_

_Of giving up_

_Of suffering_

Yuuta was pouring all his being into the song but when Ryoma and Kirihara's voice did the second voice, he was undone. That moment and time, a powerful force let all the three of them to become one in harmony, in music…in soul.

_Then we should stand together this one time_

_Then no one will get left behind_

_And stand up for life_

_Stand up_

_For love_

When it was time for Kirihara to sing solo, the nurses came in only to see a spectacular scene. It was so pure, so ethereal and full of innocence. Who would've thought complete strangers can create music as heavenly as they did?

_And it all starts right here_

_And it starts right now_

_One person, stand now!_

_And the rest will follow_

_For all the forgotten_

_For all the unloved_

Ryoma caught their eyes and nodded. It's time to take the song a notch higher.

_I'm gonna sing this song_

Kirihara took a deep breath as he resumed to his solo. 'I wish my teammates would see me now. I know they would be very proud.'

_And I believe_

_That in my life I will see_

_An end to hopelessness_

_Of giving up_

_Of suffering_

They were one, united by a single torch of love then ignited into a sea of flames by their desire to reach out to these children. They may have illnesses but they are not giving up the fight for life.

_Then we should stand together this one time_

_Then no one will get left behind_

_And stand up for life_

_Stand up and sing_

Tears welled up their eyes, fell inhibited down their flushed cheeks. Yuuta didn't realize his almost-death grip on Maho and Kirihara on Genki as well. For such little time they already have an immeasurable bond with the children. This is something that they will treasure forever.

_Stand up…for love…_

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Kirihara was walking aimlessly along the corridor. What transpired earlier was something far from reality. He has never felt this emotional in his life and he has Ryoma to thank for that. He tried his darnest not to cry but when Genki gave him a paper crane, he was undone. He and Yuuta cried openly like girls while Echizen just let his tears fall silently while ushering the kids back to their beds.

"That I will be proud to tell anyone." He muttered. After a few minutes they decided to split up. Nanako came back to take Ryoma home and offered Yuuta a lift but they departed with a promise. It was a promise of a budding friendship and guitar lessons at the Echizen residence. The two sophomores were looking forward to that, and especially to come back here and be with the kids, again.

"You should be paying attention to where you're going, kid." Someone spoke up. Kirihara turned and saw Kuwahara Jackal's staring at him.

"Uh….hi senpai." Kirihara greeted weekly. His tanned senpai approached him with a wary look on his face.

"We've been looking everywhere for you." He said. "Get inside. The chief neurosurgeon is here." He ushered the sophomore inside, only to be greeted with smiles. Kirihara squinted his eyes and realized that Dr. I-chan was smiling back at him. Beside the doctor was the Yukimura-tachi who were crying tears of joy.

"Where have you been?" Sanada said, semi-glaring at the baby of the team. Before Kirihara could answer, Dr. I-chan went to him and placed a hand on his shoulders.

"Kirihara-kun was with the boy I'm talking about earlier. We talked and the result is this." Dr. Mihara said with a smile on his face. "Yukimura-kun is scheduled for operation this evening." He told Kirihara. The once-gloomy eyes of the sophomore lightened up at the news.

"Really?!"

"Akachan, Dr. Mihara wouldn't tell us who told him about my case. Would you?" Yukimura smiled softly at the boy.

"He wants to remain anonymous for a while Mura-buchou." Kirihara told them. Everybody stared at the boy.

"Just refer to him as your Latte' Day Saint." Dr. Mihara injected. "Ok, I have to go and make rounds so see you this evening Yukimura-kun." With this, the respected doctor turned to leave.

"DR. I-chan!" Kirihara called out. The man stopped his tracks. "Arigatou gozaimashitez!" with this he bowed down.

"Think nothing of it." He said. "My wife and step-daughter have multiple sclerosis. I can perfectly relate." With this, he left the room.

"Aka-chan…arigatou gozaimashitez!"

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Rinko smiled at her husband. She beckoned him to look at their son who was intent in praying.

"If he continues to be like this he'd be named as a saint." Nanjiroh whispered to Rinko. The woman smiled as Ryoma sat up form this kneeling position to stare back at them.

"Let's go honey…mass was over ten minutes ago…"

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A/N: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Done it!!!!!!!! I told you it's not ChouRyo-centric. Tell what you think ok? Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	9. you're beautiful

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "You're Beautiful". James Blunt does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs.

I'll be referring Fuji Syusuke as Fuji and Fuji Yuuta as Yuuta.

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Senbatsu camp: a lush class-A club house in the secluded part of Chibuchibu-Tama Nat'l Park in Yamanashi prefecture. It was paradise on earth but hell to those who have anger cramped in their hearts.  
Atobe's good mood was all gone when they stepped off their luxurious ride and only to see Ryoma walking towards them with a small smile on his lips. It would've been nice if the freshman is walking towards him but no, the minute he's a foot closer, Ohtori came forth and wound an arm around his waist. Both Atobe and Shishido clenched their fists at the contact and let out curses as the lovers walked away.  
Atobe has expected this. 'I knew I had to suffer every single twitch of pain every time you get close to each other," Atobe flipped his hair and stomped off to check his luggage, "but victory will be sweeter if you suffered to attain it. I will have you Ryoma. I will have you even if it's the last thing that that I do.'  
"Kabaji, get my luggage!"

"Usu!"

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They have been broken down to three groups, headed by the three coaches present: Sakaki-sensei of Hyotei, Hanamura-sensei of Jyousei Shounan and Ryuzaki-sensei from Seigaku. Ryoma is with Ryuzaki's group while Choutarou's with Sakaki. It was fun though since Kirihara and Yuuta will be rooming with him.

"Hey roomie." Someone spoke up from the door. Ryoma looked up only to see Kirihara and Yuuta smiling at him.  
"Yosh," Ryoma's curt answer.  
The two sophomores came inside and flopped down their respective beds. Ryoma was already unpacking when they came in.  
"Hey, you suppose they're going to hold Senbatsu here in Japan?" Kirihara broke the silence. 'Hey it's not like my two roomies are the talkative type.'  
"Nah I don't think so. They held it here last year so no surprise if they held it there this time." It was Yuuta who answered. Ryoma just listened carefully for he doesn't know how this Senbatsu work. "Hey," the scarred boy turned to Ryoma, "do you have any idea of who might be in the American team? I mean, you used to live in US, right?"  
Ryoma shrugged. "I suppose the famous Griffin brothers got in. They caused quite a buzz during my last stay in US." The freshman answered. With this, his two senpais leaned in to listen.

"This is valuable information! Do they play singles? Doubles? What's their playing style?" they fired questions simultaneously.

Ryoma sighed and went back to his unpacking duty. "Last I heard they're playing doubles now. Play style? Probably acrobatic tennis." He stated. He turned and saw their mouth gaped open. "They're street performers. That should explain it."  
Before anyone of them could react, there was a soft knock on the door followed by a soft "Ryoma."  
The freshman stood up and opened the door, revealing the friendly face of Ohtori.

"Hi guys!" he greeted. "Hello!" the other sophomores greeted back.

"Sakaki-sensei wants everybody downstairs." He said. His eyes drifted to Ryoma's cat-like ones and smiled. That didn't go unnoticed for the other occupants of the room.  
"One moment." Ryoma said and ran back to his bed to secure his valuables inside the dresser. "Oh yeah, he's my boyfriend." Ryoma casually told the two before walking back to Ohtori. The latter blushed at the confession and smiled shyly at the other sophomores who in turn just gaped in surprise.  
Ryoma smirked and took a piece of paper and crumpled it. He then threw it towards his roommates and guffawed when it landed right on target: Kirihara's head. "Ja!" he called out before he and his paramour closed the door.

It took a couple more minutes before the two of them could react.

"Did you hear that?" Yuuta nudged Kirihara. The brunette just nodded stupidly while looking at the crumpled paper on his lap.  
"Mind douche!" Yuuta collapsed on his bed. "Oh well, they seemed OK to look at. They're not obvious homos so I think I'm ok with it." He mumbled against his pillow.  
"Uhuh…"  
"Kirihara, are you even listening to me?" Yuuta looked up from his smothered pillow.  
"Uhuh…"  
"Ch! Suit yourself!" Fuji's brother scoffed before dumping his valuables inside his own secured dresser.  
"Hey Fuji…" Kirihara looked up at him. Eyes his looking vague.  
"What?"  
"Did that kid just threw a paper ball at me?"

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The doubles game between childhood friends began. It was Inui and Yanagi pairing against Fuji Syusuke and Saeki. Ryoma got bored mid-game so he wandered off trying to find a good resting place and congratulated himself when he found a shady spot under a lush, green cheery tree.

'My game will start in three hours. Might as well use the spare time properly.' He mused as he settled down on the soft green grass. He was about to get a shut eye when…

_My life is brilliant_

Ryoma's eyes opened the moment he heard the song. The sound seemed to come from somewhere near him. He shifted and quietly peered past the thick tree trunk and he was utterly surprised to see who was singing.

Atobe leaned against the trunk as he sang to the song his IPOD's playing. Having something plugged in his ears and eyes closed, he didn't felt his paramour's presence. He was oblivious to the amused look on those cat-like eyes, the smirk on the perfect red lips and the attention from the famed Seigaku's freshman himself. Being there, leaning against the tree seemed the right time for him to unleash some of his frustrations through song. He supposed he'd be alone since the last time he checked, everybody's interested at the game.

_My life is brilliant  
My love is pure  
I saw an angel  
Of that I'm sure_

Ryoma closed his eyes as he listened to the surprisingly soothing voice of the arrogant Hyotei captain. It was revealed last Saturday that he has an OK voice but Ryoma never thought it would be this ok. 'Whoever he's singing to must be thankful for at least one thing. Monkey King can lull someone to sleep.'

_He smiled at me at the subway  
He was with another man_  
_But I won't lose no sleep on that cause I've got a plan_

'Ok…now I know he's gay too…' Ryoma mentally added as he let himself be calmed by the voice of the Monkey King.

'If I haven't been so foolish to just sit back and pry on Ohtori's life, I would've been Ryoma's boyfriend right now.' The thought ran bitterly in his head. He raked his precious purplish locks with a hand and sighed in frustration. 'If…'

_You're beautiful  
You're beautiful  
You're beautiful it's true  
I saw your face in a crowded place  
And I don't know what to do  
Cause I'll never be with you._

'Ha! I never thought Monkey King is such a sap. His arrogant, bitchy exterior hides his true melancholic side,' Ryoma mused. 'Wow….that's new…' he added bitterly.

'Ryoma…you arrogant cocky brat! You're so oblivious to the effect you have on people, you… you beautiful creature." A smile crept on Atobe's lips. 'I will never give you up to Ohtori. You're mine. I saw you first. I was the first to love you…'

_Yes he caught my eye  
When he walked on by  
And he could see form my face that I was fucking high  
And I don't think that I'll see her again_  
_But we shared a moment that will last till the end._

Ryoma found his self surprisingly awake. From the moment Atobe started singing, he was hooked. Despite the fact that he is not as good as Choutarou but there's a certain charisma in his voice that kept him from falling into a deep slumber. To him it was a momentous event. People like him, Tezuka and Atobe don't always blurt their emotions in public.

_You're beautiful  
You're beautiful  
You're beautiful it's true  
I saw your face in a crowded place  
And I don't know what to do  
Cause I'll never be with you._

'Oh if you could only hear me now Ryoma, would I be able to change your heart? Would you finally realize that I'm better than Ohtori? I'm always better than anyone. I'm a better tennis player than Tezuka. I'm a better student than any geek you could find in Hyotei,' the captain felt his eyes welling up with tears he knows he show suppress, 'and most of all…I'm a better lover than Ohtori. Why can't you just choose me?'

_You're beautiful  
You're beautiful  
You're beautiful it's true  
There must be an angel with a smile on her face  
When she thought up that I should be with you_

Ryoma sat up; sleep was fully drained out of his system. 'Monkey King…you're quite a box full of surprises.' He silently crept closer to the 3rd year who still has his eyes closed, face contorted with unabashed emotions.

_But it's time to face the truth  
I will never be with you…_

'Maybe not now…but soon I will…' Atobe resolved.

"Not bad Monkey King. Not bad at all."

Atobe's eyes shot open and immediately darted around to see who the intruder was. His mouth fell opened when he discovered Ryoma leaning past the tree trunk with an impressed look on his face. His first course of action was to throw his towel at the culprit who was fast enough to dodge the attack. He was furious at himself because he let Ryoma, the last person he would want to be witness to his emotional outbursts, see him with his guards down.  
"Hey! I thought the great Monkey King wants to be indulged by compliments." The freshman complained, glaring at the offender.  
"What are you doing here, brat? And don't call Ore-sama that disgusting primitive nickname!" the 3rd year hissed at the smirking freshman.  
"Mada mada dane, Monkey King." With this, the shorter boy disappeared.  
Atobe grabbed his towel, bundled it and buried his face into it to muffle his frustrated scream. He did that a couple of times more and slumped against the tree after that, face flushed and panting. He turned around and saw Ryoma standing with the rest of the players, watching the game.

'Keigo, you idiot!'

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Fuji-Saeki pairing won the game. They had other games after that, with Ryoma winning against Wakato from Jyousei. After the strenuous activities, they collapsed in a heap inside the lounge.

"Who would've thought we'd find someone worse than Sakaki-sensei?" Shishido complained. He's still not over the fact that Ryuzaki-sensei made him run 50 laps…twice.  
"You get to be with her for one day and you're already complaining? No wonder Seigaku came out strong, enduring everyday with that baba." Mizuki chimed in. A pillow landed on his face. "Hey! Who did that?!"  
"Don't talk to her like that!" Eiji snapped back at him. "And besides, she'll get worse if she heard you say that." He added in a whisper.  
"Eiji…" Oishi said sternly.  
"Did you guys know that the caretaker of this clubhouse keeps a collection of guns?" Oshitari suddenly spoke up. This sparked the interest of the other kids who are awake…meaning sans Ryoma.  
"Really? That's dangerous!" Oishi said, anxiety is evident on his face.  
"I don't think so. Sakaki-sensei said the guns are not loaded but I heard he has some really cool vintage section." Oshitari told him.  
"Let's go check it out!" Kirihara announced, fatigue was long gone from his body. The other kids looked interested.  
"I don't think so…" Oishi and Ohtori muttered.  
"Come on Oishi! It would be a very educational side trip." Fuji egged them. The other kids struggled to stand up to go to the "Gun Room".

"I think I'll stay." Ohtori said while glancing at the sleeping form of Ryoma on his lap. "You go ahead."

Atobe glared a Shishido. 'You better work your magic scar-head.' He silently urged his teammate. Shishido caught Atobe's eyes and nodded.  
"Don't worry Choutarou. We will be gone for just a few minutes." He faked a sympathetic smile. "Echizen seemed knocked out but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your time just because you're his boyfriend." He said. To those who knew nothing about the new couple, it was a juicy piece of information, creating a soft buzz among them.  
"Well that's new. If that's the case then you stay." Kajimoto told him. 'Cute couple.'  
"But you'll miss all the fun!" Aoi argued. He doesn't seem to notice that this was a part of the terrible plan to break the couple apart courtesy of Atobe and Shishido.  
Ohtori sighed and stared at the sleeping form on his lap. 'I guess he wouldn't mind as long as I'm back before he wakes up.' he smiled and took the pillow Eiji threw at Mizuki and gently placed his lover's head on it. 'He looks so adorable when sleeping.' He mused before joining the rest. He cast one last look at the sleeping visage of his boyfriend, 'sleep tight for now Cat-eyes. I'll be right back,' and went out of the room.

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The caretaker, Asada-san was happy, no ecstatic to show them his collection. The boys were pretty amazed by the size of his anthology.

Shishido elbowed Atobe who was smugly standing by the riffles. "Why are you here?" he hissed at his captain.  
Atobe spared his teammate a questioning glance. "I just figured it would be too obvious to stay behind." He stated while checking his fingernails. "Go on, have a lovey-dovey moment with your best friend." He shooed him away. 'At least they're not together…' he told himself.  
Ohtori on the other hand was content in looking at the guns. Of course, guns are tools for killing. Surely once in its lifetime, the guns in this room could've taken a life or two.  
"Here, this is a 1892 magnum." Asada-san held a shiny antique gun towards him. "My agent told me it's one of those used to assassinate a member of Russia's royal family, a prince or so." He said, pride glowing in his face. "Go on, hold it."  
"Nah, its ok…" Ohtori said, sweat-dropping.

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Ryoma opened his eyes and was surprised to see the lounge empty. 'Last I remembered I was sleeping on Choutarou's lap.' He scratched his head in confusion. 'Now where is he?' he stood up and stretched. "I better inform Choutarou of my peculiar sleeping behavior." He muttered.

Flashback

_Their peaceful game of cards was interrupted by a wail emanating from upstairs. Soon the wail turned to wails, indicating that they are all awake. Rinko glared at her husband who just slapped his forehead. All four couples reluctantly left their game to check on their sons._

By the time they opened the door, the wails turned to sobs with occasional "mommy!"

"_I don't know what to do…Ryoma just woke up and started crying then the rest of them followed." Young Nanako sobbed hysterically._  
"_You should not forget such vital information like this. You know that when Ryoma cries, the three gets stressed up as well." Estelle De Vera said while she soothed little Carlos who was still sobbing._  
"_I'm sorry guys." Nanjiroh said apologetically as he put on his shirt on Ryoma before he let Rinko lull the 3 yr.-old boy back to sleep._  
"_Such a peculiar sleeping habit your child has, Rinko." Warren Thorrington stated as he cooed at young James. "Cute but can be very troublesome." He added._  
"_Ryo ok?" a small voice chimed in. They all turned and looked at the blue-haired boy who was taking a peek at Ryoma's sleeping visage. He was then lifted up by his father._  
"_Yes Sylvan, Ryo is fine now." Florenz Beauclaire' assured his son. "Now as for you, you should go back to sleep too." He said then settled young Sylvan back on his cot.  
Rinko put Ryoma down beside Carlos and glared at Nanjiroh. "Next time remember that your son should not be left alone, sleeping, without any of your garments. You know very much that once he sleeps with someone, he gets strongly attached to his/her scent." She hissed. _

"_Aye ma'am!" _

End of flashback

Ryoma smiled at the memory. "Ok, better look for them…" he sighed and exited the lounge.

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"Where are the students?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked Sakaki-sensei who was reading some paper works.  
"Oh they're inspecting the caretaker's gun collection." The man answered without even looking up from his paper.  
"What?!" Ryuzaki-sensei gasped. 'Echizen…kami-sama…' she thought. "I'll go check on them." with this, she disappeared.  
Sakaki-sensei glanced at Hanamura-sensei questioningly but the female Jyousei coach just shrugged in response.

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Shishido was showing Ohtori a 45 caliber hand gun when Ryoma came in.

"Echizen! Good thing you're awake!" Momo greeted his kohai but Ryoma was frozen on the spot, looking very terrified and pale.

'Oh god…it's a gun…oh god!' the thought ran across his head and felt his whole body iced up. All of a sudden, a flash of vivid memories immediately cramped up in his head: the gunshot, the blaring siren of the ambulance, the fresh scent of blood that clung to his skin. Without second thoughts he approached Shishido with anger flashing in his eyes.

"Ryoma, look it's a—" Ohtori started but trailed off when Ryoma slapped the gun off Shishido's hand.

"Son of a—!" Shishido gasped as the gun was sent flying to the floor. Luckily, Kaidou caught it before it landed.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH A GUN?!?!" Ryoma screamed at Shishido.

The room fell into a stunned silence with Ryoma breathing heavily while looking daggers at Shishido who was equally stunned as well. It was Oishi who recovered first.

"Ano Echizen, the gun is…" he approached the freshman but stopped in his tracks with Ryoma glared at him. Oishi stopped frozen in his tracks when he saw Ryoma's eyes. There was something very scary that happened to his kohai's eyes.

"Oishi-senpai! How can you let this happen?! A gun is a gun! It can take one's life in just a blink of an eye!!" Ryoma growled at his senpai. He can feel his whole body trembling in anger and fear. 'Everything felt so real…oh god! I couldn't let it happen again!' he was in a hysterical fit right now. "How can you be so irresponsible?!"

They did not know how to react. It was the first time they saw Echizen so angry. They could swear they saw steam coming out of his nose. His knuckles were white from his death clutch.

"Echizen, the gun's not loaded." Fuji soon spoke up, cerulean eyes staring at the enraged freshman. Ryoma's glared at him then it took a couple of seconds before his facial expression softened up.

"Wh-what?" Ryoma spat. Soon he felt warm comforting hands on his shoulders that later pulled him into a secured embrace. 'Not loaded?...oh fuck!'

"Yeah brat. Am I not getting any apologies here? Hello?" Shishido snarled at him.

"Ryoma, are you ok?" Choutarou looked down at him with a weary look in his face. 'My god he's shaking like a leaf.' He mused as he secured Ryoma's form in his embrace.

"G-gomen nasai senpai-tachi…" Ryoma muttered with his face buried into Choutarou chest. He felt can feel his throat constrict as he tried his best not to cry. 'It felt so real…it felt so real…'  
"I think you should let him lie down for a second Ohtori." Sanada told him with an unreadable expression on his face.  
Atobe, on the other hand was unable to restrain himself so he came towards Ohtori and Ryoma with a concerned look on his face. He was the one who dragged a chair for the freshman sit on to and ordered Kabaji for a glass of water. Everybody was almost in a panic mode when the famed freshman still won't stop shaking. His face was even paler than before and no matter what Ohtori did he seemed like he's none existent. Unbeknownst to them, Ryoma was currently rehashing the darkest day of his life when…

"I'll take it from here kids." Ryuzaki-sensei suddenly spoke up with an alarmed look on her face. Everybody made way for her as she hurried towards Ryoma. She kneeled in front of the traumatized boy and held his clammy hands. "Ryoma-kun, listen. It's abuella."  
"Kabaji, go get the nurse or something!" Atobe barked at his kohai. 'Why didn't I see this coming? Ryoma, gomen nasai. I'm such an idiot!' Atobe wallowed in self-hate silently.  
"It's ok, Atobe-kun." Ryuzaki-sensei stopped Kabaji with a glance. She felt Ryoma's hands tighten with hers. She slowly helped the boy up on his feet.

"A-abuella…" Ryoma's dropped down to a whisper as he held onto the old woman for dear life.

"Come now, Ryo. Abuella's here." She whispered back and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.  
All eyes are on them when they slowly made their way to the door. Ohtori on the other hand suddenly punched the floor in anger. "Argh! I know I shouldn't have left him." he cried. He felt a warm hand on his shoulders and was surprised that it was Fuji Yuuta with a sympathetic look on his face.  
"He'll be fine. It's not your fault." The younger Fuji assured him. 'He'll understand. Echizen is the most understanding person you'll ever meet.' He mentally added.  
"Why did he act like that?" Aoi whined.  
"Extreme fear. Maybe there's something that happened to Echizen in the past that made him fear guns just like that. Something so severe that may have caused both mental and emotional trauma." Inui explained. He wanted to document this event on his green notebook but he just couldn't find the strength to do so. He felt a tap on his shoulders and soon was beckoned by Yanagi Renji to the corner.

"There's something I have to tell you about your kohai's eyes…"

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Ryuzaki Sumire was at a loss. She doesn't know what to do; whether to get Ryoma to a psychiatrist a.s.a.p. or call Nanjiroh to take Ryoma home. But she knew that Ryoma would protest with any of the options. She locked the door of Ryoma's room and turned around only to see Ryoma's big brown eyes staring at him full of confusion, fear and sadness. She felt her heart broke into many million pieces when she saw tears streaking down his pale, young face without inhibition.

"Abuella…I don't understand…i-it f-felt so real…" Ryoma sobbed. His head was not functioning anymore. He cried openly in Ryuzaki's arms. "It felt like…I went back in time a-and relived t-that a-awful day…" he stuttered.

Sumire could only could only make hushing sounds and rub his back in attempt to calm him down.

"I could almost smell the gun powder and the blood. It smelled so fresh and so real. The sound of the siren is still ringing inside my head over and over." Ryoma said, his cries toned down to occasional sobs. "But what's worse is that it's Choutarou I'm with…it's Choutarou who was…" his voice trailed off.

Sumire sighed and hugged the boy tighter. "Calm down Ryo. It won't happen to Choutarou." She said. It took a couple more minutes before Ryoma surrendered to fatigue and fell asleep in his coach's arms. The woman smiled sadly as she wiped the tears away from his cheeks. She laid his fragile body on the bed gently and placed her jacket over him. 'You're not fully healed Ryoma. The reason why you're still affected this way is because you still blame yourself for what happened.' She sighed and put a blanket over his body. 'Two years have gone by and you still cannot forgive yourself.'

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The other coaches called them to a meeting to keep their minds off what happened earlier. Sakaki-sensei forbade them to see the Gun Room anymore. All the time that they were analyzing the games earlier, Ohtori's mind was nowhere near their line of thinking. He couldn't help but feel so helpless for not being able to get his boyfriend to calm down, so stupid for leaving his boyfriend alone and sad for not being able to know what's happening. He snapped back to reality when Ryuzaki-sensei came in sans her jacket to announce that dinner was ready. As the other kids filled out of the room to go to the pantry, he rushed to meet the Seigaku coach.

"Is he ok?" he asked.  
"He's sleeping now." The old woman told him.  
"Can I see him?" he asked. Those who still hadn't exited the room stayed to watch the scene.  
Ryuzaki sighed. "He does need to eat something but I forgot that I locked the door of their room when I left." She said.  
"I have a key." Kirihara and Yuuta cried in unison. Ohtori smiled a little and approached the two. "We'll take you there." They said.  
"Please do convince him to eat ok?" Ryuzaki-sensei called to them.

"Nya…I'm not in the mood to eat after what happened to O'chibi." Eiji muttered. He soon left someone pushing him to the door and it was Fuji.  
"Come now, Eiji. O'chibi wouldn't like it if you skipped meals." His horse-shoe eyes came back but deep inside, he was still concerned about Ryoma's welfare. 'I better inform Tezuka of what happened. Maybe he'll know what to do.'

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Kirihara opened the door slowly and the light from the hallway illuminated a small lump on Ryoma's bed.

Ohtori swiftly approached the sleeping form. He soon noticed Ryuzaki's jacket blanketing Ryoma from the AC. His koibito looked so calm and serene in his sleep. There was no trace of hostility left in his face that he couldn't help but caress his cheeks. 'Wet? Has he been crying?' Ohtori mused when he felt a little dampness on his boyfriend's cheeks.

"Chou…tarou…"

Ohtori's head snapped up only to find himself caught in those big hazel orbs. Ryoma's eyes used to be flashing with arrogance and childhood innocence but now it was nowhere in sight. His koi's eyes now reflected the ones of a lost and abandoned child. "Yes Cat-eyes?" Ohtori asked softly, leaning in to rest his forehead on Ryoma's.

"Don't leave me?" the question almost shattered his heart. He soon found himself clinging to the freshman.

"I won't. I promise. I'll stay with you forever." Choutarou assured him.

Kirihara and Yuuta were amazed at the scene in front of them. Ohtori may be freakishly tall and Ryoma is a cocky arrogant brat but in this place and time, they look so perfect. They were the most beautiful couple they've ever seen and they couldn't find the courage to interrupt them.

"We'll just bring your supper upstairs, guys." Yuuta said before he let Kirihara close the door.

'He'll tell me everything when he's ready.' Choutarou mused as he let Ryoma cuddle up to him. 'I am a patient man. I've waited for him once, I think it wouldn't hurt if I wait some more.' He added while combing Ryoma's hair with his fingers.

"I love you, Ryoma."

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Notes:

Abuella: Spanish term for grandmother

Tell me that you think ok?

AND THANKS TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!! PLEASE REVIEW OK?!


	10. when you say nothing at all

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "When you say nothing at all". Ronan Keating does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!)

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They tried not to discuss what happened to Ryoma the other day but they can't help but murmur around, trying to get more information. If not for Ohtori who was constantly shielding him from their prying eyes, he would've cracked up right now. He pleaded to Ryuzaki-sensei to not tell his parents for he knows that there will be a major freak out.

He noticed though that there are times that Shishido would pull Ohtori away from him for silly reasons like checking out a new move or something then Monkey King would soon approach him to rile or challenge him to a match that are always cut short because Ohtori would show up and with one call, Ryoma ends the match. He's not stupid to not notice the hostility between his boyfriend and his captain nor Shishido's towards him. It's not that he's not used to this kind of situation, he is actually, but it sometimes bugs him that Ohtori gets all stressed up when it comes to Atobe. It has been going on for a days and he's getting stressed up by the situation as well and what makes a good stress reliever? Music! He spends his evenings teaching Kirihara and Yuuta how to play the guitar which was a very amusing diversion. He felt himself getting comfortable with the sophomores' company and they were soon on first name-basis.

"No Akaya-senpai, not like that! Your fingers should be like this." Ryoma sighed in exasperation as he demonstrated the positions of the fingers for a G chord. Yuuta was chuckling lightly since he got the fingers before Kirihara did.

"No fair! It's so hard!" Kirihara complained then glared at Yuuta. "Stop laughing Yuuta!"

The culprit he's referring to just cackled a little more. "Sorry Akaya." He apologized. He them reach out to position his fingers himself. "That's the correct position."

Kirihara pouted. "This is hard."

"You'll get the hang of it." Ryoma told him. He taught them a few more chords and soon he got them started on a song. It was easy to teach Yuuta since he's attentive unlike Kirihara who was busy strumming nonsense.

"Alright, that's enough for tonight." Ryoma yawned as he snuggled in his bed. "See you in the morning." He mumbled and was soon followed by a long silence, indicating that he's already in lala land. Since their teacher is already in a deep slumber, the sophomores decided to retire as well. And besides, tomorrow's another big day.

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They were all in a good mood the next morning especially when Hanamura-sensei told them to take the day off for they will have the final matches the next day to determine who will participate in the Senbatsu games. The boys normally broke down to subgroups for more bonding moments. Ohtori chose to hang around Oshitari since Ryoma was nowhere in sight. Soon their dual group inflated when Mizuki, Fuji, Inui, Saeki, Sengoku, Yanagi and Sanada joined them. It was weird that he's the only sophomore hanging out with a bunch of third years so he decided to leave but Fuji stopped him.

"Oh don't leave Ohtori-kun."

"Ano senpai-tachi…" Ohtori muttered. 'I feel so out of place!' he added mentally.

"Yeah…we can talk about you and Echizen!" Sengoku announced. Ohtori paled at the suggestion while the rest nodded as if they're considering.

"Uh senpai-tachi…its ok. I'll just leave—"the tall sophomore stammered and was about to get up when he felt Oshitari's hand on his arm and pulled him downwards.

"Yeah…let's talk about you two." The Hyotei tensai said, his glasses glinting in a malicious way.

'Oh no…' Ohtori sweat-dropped when he saw the freaky smiles on their lips (except Sanada and Yanagi of course). He hesitantly sat down not knowing that he might have dug his own grave.

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Ryoma was quite infuriated and he needs to see Ohtori immediately. His boyfriend has been his remedy for all the negative energy he's been receiving whether from Momo or Kirihara or Atobe. And speaking of the Monkey King, he was hounded by the senior earlier and Ryoma was not stupid to not realize that the Hyotei captain is flirting with him.

"Damn Choutarou, where are you?" he muttered irritably as he moved across the plants. He moved as quietly as possible to avoid unnecessary encounters. He squatted low to the ground when he reached the edge of the bushes. He leaned in and heard voices coming from somewhere near. He brushed a couple of leaves aside to check the owner of the voices and was surprised to see Ohtori, sitting with a bunch of third years with a face as red as a tomato. 'Hmm…this might be good.' Golden brown eyes blinked a couple of times. 'I think I'll stay and find out what they're talking about.'

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"Did you kiss already?" Mizuki asked giddily and was very amused when Ohtori's face flushed even more. 'This is fun!'

"Ano…uh…" Ohtori stammered. His heart seemed to beat faster and faster as the questions became more personal. He was glad that Sanada and Yanagi were not asking questions but still he riveted the interest flashing in their eyes. 'I'm doomed.'

"Stuttering, excessive blushing…it's a 90 yes according to my calculation." Inui spoke up, still scribbling on his trusty green notebook.

"Wow…is he a good kisser?" Sengoku added to Ohtori's torment. Fuji and Saeki chuckled at the question.

"Not fair senpai! W-why are you asking me with these personal questions?" Ohtori protested. He looked so cute when he's put under extreme pressure.

"It's for a good data." Inui told him. "So, is he a good kisser or not?" he asked again. Seeing that Ohtori was still not telling, he took out a thermos. "If you don't talk, you'll have to drink my Super Deluxe II." He threatened the sophomore.

Ohtori paled upon the sight of the thermos. "You're so mean senpai-tachi!" he complained.

"All you have to say Ohtori-kun is yes or no. That's all." Oshitari wheedled.

'This is torture!' Ohtori sighed. 'Ryoma's gonna kill me for this.' He added. "Yes."

Sengoku and Mizuki giggled like girls while the rest just let out a low teasing whistle. "Saa…" Fuji muttered.

"Senpai-tachi!" Ohtori slightly raised his voice, hoping to release some of his frustrations.

"Did he already say the three magic words?" Oshitari suddenly asked. They fell into an uncomfortable silence as they waited for Ohtori to answer.

"No…not yet…"

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Ryoma was in his sulking mood once more. He thought spying on his boyfriend might give him some enjoyment but their conversation actually became quite irksome so he left. He stealthily moved across the camp until he reached the bordering forest. He took a deep breath as he let the soft sounds of the rustling river nearby calm his senses.

Flashback

"_What?! So you mean Echizen hasn't told you "I love you" ever since you two hooked up?" Mizuki stared indignantly at Ohtori. The sophomore just shrugged. _

"_Not that it matters—"Ohtori started in Ryoma's defense but Sengoku cut him off._

"_It does matter!" the Yamabuki senior pressed in._

_Ohtori pondered on the comment for a while then sighed. "Yeah…I think you're right."_

End of flashback

Ryoma stomped his way towards an old oak tree and collapsed against it. He buried his face in his hands as he tried to sort out his emotions when…

"For the second time, I witnessed you lose your cool."

Ryoma looked up and glared at the imposing figure in front of him. "Monkey King…great!" his voice was oozing with sarcasm. "Just what I needed…another baboon meddling in my life." His voice dropped down to a whisper, not really wanting Atobe to hear his last comment.

"Pardon me?"

"Nothing!" Ryoma snapped at him. He sighed in resignation and leaned against the trunk. "What do you want?"

Atobe sighed and walked towards him. He could feel Ryoma's deadly stares at him but he was not about to be fazed. He sat down, just an arm's length away from the freshman. "A penny for your thoughts?"

Ryoma stared at him as if he was going crazy or something. 'Really?' his curiosity was not the one to be appeased. "Why?" he asked. "Why bother?"

It took a couple of seconds before he could reply. "Why not?" dark blue-gray eyes blinked back at Ryoma with no sign of malice. 'This is so not me but I like it when you're not snarling at me. I wish we could be like this all the time.' He waited for the freshman to answer. 'I wish that you could be mine.'

Ryoma took a deep breath. No matter how harmless the Hyotei captain looked, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. "Do you…"

"Hmmm?"

Ryoma swallowed hard before giving in. "Do you older people—"

"Hey! Watch who you're calling old freshman." Atobe growled.

"Prejudicial monkey! Of course you're classified as old because you're older than ME." Ryoma snapped back at him. "And here I thought you were really going to listen."

A long silence…

"Forgive Ore-sama. Go on…"

Ryoma huffed and rolled his eyes. "Fine…do you older people really need to be verbally assured all the time like you're doing a great job or you're good?" Ryoma was looking at the sky the whole time, as if he's avoiding the questioning glance from Atobe.

Atobe's face sobered for a second. "Well…for course we do." he started. His answer made Ryoma to turn and look at him. "People notice you more frequently when you become older. Some might question the things that you do or the things you fight for. You become more vulnerable so to be able to make sure that you're doing fine, you have to consider their opinions, especially assurances." He explained. He felt his heartbeat quickened when he realized Ryoma's steady gaze on him. 'He never looked at me like this before…' Atobe mused in euphoria. '…it feels nice to have him look at me that way he does now.'

Ryoma pondered on Atobe's words. He stood up silently and cast a downward glance on the Hyotei captain. "You adults love to complicate things…" he said. He looked up to the sky then sighed. "What is essential is invisible to the eye." With this, he started to walk away, towards the forest.

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Ohtori was busy darting to and fro looking for Ryoma. He felt like he needed to break away from his senpais and he desperately misses his boyfriend so much. He's been scouring the camp for a while now but still no sign of Ryoma. He saw Seigaku's freshman trio walking along the courts and decided to ask them if they've seen his cat-eyed lover.

"Sumimasen!" Ohtori called out. The trio stopped in their tracks and turned around. "Hey, have you seen Ryoma?"

"No we haven't Ohtori-san. " Kachirou replied.

"But you can try asking your buchou." Horio chimed in but looked like he neglected doing so when he saw Ohtori's reaction.

Ohtori sorta, kinda glared at the freshman. 'Buchou? What could have he done this time?' he thought as his body tensed up in anger. "Why?" he semi-growled at the poor freshmen (baaad Choutarou).

"Um…we saw him following Echizen earlier." Katsuo reported. The trio jerked a little since Ohtori's looking at them menacingly.

"Where is he?" he growled. 'He better be not a meter close to Ryoma or I'll rip him apart!'

The three were backing up slowly as the Hyotei sophomore advanced on them. "L-last we saw him he was walking towards the forest!" Horio exclaimed before he and his friends skedaddled away from him.

It took a couple of minutes before he could recover. He started running towards the forest. He felt bad on the way he treated Ryoma's peers but this is an emergency situation. 'I need to keep him away from buchou's clutches!'

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Ryoma was blankly staring at the crystal waters before him. He was standing on the steel bridge suspended 30 ft above the calm river. From what he heard during their orientation, the river was rarely unstable and is estimated to be 15 ft. deep. He scanned the surroundings and was thankful that he was alone. His bare chest was glistening under the sun. He's been standing there for quite a while now, hands still gripping the steel bars.

"I need this. I need to unwind…to relax…to let all the frustrations go." Ryoma kept murmuring to himself. "I can do this." His eyes caught sight of his shirt sprawled on the bank below. The moment that he came into this place, he was hypnotized by the smooth, rippling waters. 'Come on now Ryoma! You've done this before, so many times that you've lost count already.' He mentally coerced himself. 'The difference is that you'll be jumping off alone.' Ryoma took a deep breath as he put a foot up the steel railing. 'Here goes nothing…'

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"Ryoma!"

Ohtori called out as he hustled through the forest. For some unknown reason, there was a lump on his throat and his heart was racing madly.

"Ryoma!" he called again but still no answer. 'God where is he?' he bit his lip in anxiety. 'I hope nothing bad happened to him.' he added. He came into a clearing and soon walked out into the river bank. His eyes were busy scanning the place and he was utterly stunned when he saw a familiar shirt lying on a subtle patch of grass.

"Oh god…" he gasped as he ran towards the shirt. He picked it up and clutched it tightly to his chest. His was in full panic mode when he caught sight of something moving in his visual periphery. Upon realizing what he saw, Ohtori's stomach felt like lead.

His eyes widen to an almost comical size, the gravity of the situation finally settling on him. It was Ryoma, standing on the steel railings of the bridge, arms spread out wide and legs bent as if he's ready to pounce. Ohtori, speechless and terrified, finds himself taking baby steps forward until he felt the coolness of the water touching his feet. 'Oh god…' his whole body stood frozen as he gaped in horror when Ryoma's lithe body took off the railings and into the water.

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Ryoma was ecstatic. He can feel the adrenaline rush in his system, the wind whirling behind him as he positioned his body for the entry. He felt very light as his body streamlined across the water until he plunged deeper into its blueness. It took a couple of seconds before he decided to resurface. With Carlos' firm instructions about diving and swimming; he deftly swam against the soft rapids until he reached the water's edge. What he didn't expect though when he pulled out of the river was Ohtori's ashen face, staring at him with eyes reflected sheer terror.

"Oi Choutarou." He greeted. His boyfriend strode towards him with anger flaring in his once-soft brown eyes. "You ok—"

'SLAP!!'

Ohtori slapped Ryoma so hard that the freshman swore his head almost did a 360 degree Linda Blaire turn. Before Ryoma could react or probably retaliate from the attack, Ohtori yanked him into a tight embrace. Soon the freshman forgot about the stinging pain on his cheek or the possibility of a neck injury when he felt and heard Ohtori's suppressed sobs.

"Choutarou?"

"W-why?" Ohtori sobbed. "W-why did you do it?" Ryoma felt his tears made contact on his skin. He looked up and felt something squeezed his heart when he saw his boyfriend's eyes, fear still flashing and tears falling unabashed.

"W-what—why are you crying?" Ryoma reached up and held his face on his hands. He brushed the fresh batch of tears that escaped from his eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" his asked warily, he was bordering upon hysteria.

Ohtori felt his energy was sapped out of his body and dropped into his knees, bringing Ryoma to his knees as well. He was muttering gibberish against Ryoma's neck while still having his boyfriend in his death grip.

Ryoma was at a loss. All he could do was rub Ohtori's back in attempt to comfort his boyfriend. "Come now Choutarou. Get a hold of yourself." He whispered softly into his ear. 'God he's shaking like a leaf!'

"W-why did you jump?" Ohtori sobbed against his neck. "Why?" he slightly pulled away to look into Ryoma's confused eyes. He bit his lip as he tried to suppress another wave of tears from escaping his exhausted tear ducts. "I was so scared." He mumbled. "I thought you were committing suicide."

Realization dawned on Ryoma.' Oh…' his eyes snap back at Ohtori. "Oh…" he gasped softly. Soon he found himself showering Ohtori's face with butterfly kisses, kissing away the tears while muttering "I'm sorry."

"I was so scared." Ohtori choked out. His sobs subsided a little. "I thought you were going to die." He added.

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that." He pressed a firm kiss on the sophomore's lips. "I wasn't trying to commit suicide, koibito," another kiss, "I promise I wasn't." he wound his arms around Ohtori's neck to pull him into his warm embrace. They remained like that for a few more minutes as Ohtori's sobs died down.

A few minutes later…

Ryoma was seated against a tree trunk with Ohtori settled between his legs with his head rested against his shoulders. They've been in that position for quite a few minutes or so, both content with the amicable silence engulfing them while Ryoma plays with Ohtori's hair and the latter listening to his lover's breathing.

"So why did you jump off the bridge then, Ryoma?" Ohtori asked as Ryoma's arms tightened around him.

Ryoma took a deep breath before answering. "It's what I used to do or rather my friends and I used to do way back when I was still in US." He placed a chaste kiss on Ohtori's forehead. "It's a right of passage for us and a stress reliever as well." He explained.

Brown eyes looked at him questioningly. "Right of passage?"

"Yes." Ryoma replied. "We've been doing it ever since we're six."

Ohtori sighed before settling back to his previous position. "I thought Atobe-buchou did something bad to you." He muttered. Ryoma arched an eyebrow. "The freshman trio told me earlier that he was stalking you all morning." Ohtori pouted.

'God he's cute!' Ryoma mentally cooed. "Do you know why I jumped?" he asked, brushing a few strands of hair off Ohtori's face.

"Nope. Why?"

"Choutarou, are you bothered by the fact that I haven't said the so-called three magic words?" Ryoma asked. Ohtori sat up in surprise. He gaped at his boyfriend's sober expression as he realized Ryoma's point.

"You heard us didn't you?" he asked. Guilt was written all over his face.

Ryoma smiled sadly. "Yeah." He beckoned Ohtori close to him. "I became a little irked so I came here and tried to release the tension inside." He said as Ohtori settled back into his embrace. "For I thought actions speak louder than words. But after I talked to Monkey King I realized that he has a point. People indeed need assurance once in their lives."

"I'm sorry." Ohtori muttered. He kept his eyes on the ground for he was too ashamed for being caught red-handed.

"Don't be. You just made me realize that I do have an obligation to assure you just like you've been doing to me these past few days." Ryoma coaxed him to look up. Once again, gold met gold in a smoldering gaze.

"Ryoma…"

Ryoma took Ohtori's hand and let his fingers entwine with the sophomore's. "I love you Choutarou…" he started. Ohtori felt his heart's going to burst in happiness any minute now. He fought back the tears that are attempting to escape his eyes once more. "…despite the fact that you're freakishly tall and I feel awkward sometimes because people see us as brothers, not lovers…" he smiled at the confession. Ryoma does have a way with words.

"I love you…" his little paramour's not stopping now. "…despite of the fact that your best friend hates my existence no matter how I tried to settle our differences and you're across the city most of the time with him…" Ryoma smiled a little causing his boyfriend to chuckle lightly.

"And most especially because I love you Choutarou…" Ryoma leaned in to rest his forehead against Ohtori's. With that and Ohtori was undone. He could care less about the tears, about everything as long as he's with Ryoma. The freshman sealed his confession with a sweet lingering kiss that made Ohtori's toes tingle.

"I couldn't believe you said that." Ohtori's breathing was slightly panting against Ryoma's lips.

"What? You think I wouldn't be able to say those things because I'm an arrogant cocky brat?" a smile. "My Choutarou….you should've known better."

Ohtori captured his lips once more for a passionate kiss, their bodies pressed against each other as they tried to satisfy the great amount of need in their hearts, their desire to be as close as they can be. Their tongues met in a soulful dance, not in a fierce duel for dominance. Everything felt so right and nothing could go wrong…

Ryoma settled comfortably in Ohtori's arms. He sighed in content when he felt Ohtori's arms tightened around him. "Ryoma…"

"Hmmm?"

"Listen carefully ok?" Ohtori said.

"Ok." Ryoma replied.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart_

_Without saying a word you can light up the dark_

_Try as I may I could never explain_

_What I hear when you don't say a thing_

Ryoma closed his eyes as he let himself be lulled by Ohtori's soft voice. He smiled at the way his words caressed his heart. 'Thank you God for allowing me to meet this boy.' He prayed silently.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

Ohtori put everything he has into the song. He wants to assure Ryoma that he really doesn't need words to keep him happy. 'The mere fact that he chose to be with me is enough proof. I don't care if he doesn't shower me with sweet words. What I need is him…only him…' he opened his eyes, only to be caught into pools of golden orbs and for a moment, he forgot to breath.

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud_

_But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd_

_Old Mr. Webster could never define_

_What's being said between your heart and mine_

Ryoma smiled when Ohtori wasn't able to sing the second part. He took the liberty of taking his place as their eyes spoke a silent language that only they could understand.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

It was as if time stood still and they owned the world for a few seconds. Gone were the fear, the uncertainty and the doubt. All that mattered was the two of them and no one else. Tennis? They forgot about that. World opinion? Who cares!? Everything ceased to exist except the two of them.

'Atobe? I don't care who you are. Here is one thing your money cannot buy…its Ryoma's love.' Ohtori caressed the freshman's face. 'And I will not give him up; even in death I will not let him go.'

'Tezuka…thank you. If it wasn't because of you, I wouldn't have met this wonderful person. I hope you'll find that same happiness that I have. Carlos…thank you for giving me another chance…a chance…to love and to life…'

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

The union of their voice paved the way to the union of their hearts and their souls. Neither Ryoma nor Choutarou exists anymore…they are one. It was as if Fate smiled upon them and sealed their destiny: in each other's arms.

_You say it best when you say nothing at all…_

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A/N: Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN'T STOP SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -- watchathink? Please review!!!!!!!!

P/S: to liar-just-a-liar: you can print out the story…I still don't know how many chapters will this story have. I'm picturing maybe more than twenty if I'm nice enough…thanks!!!


	11. Jennifer?

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Jennifer". M2M does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!). I'm skipping events ok? Don't worry; you will understand why the title is Jennifer. And you'll get a glimpse of Ryoma's life back in US!!!!!!

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Atobe was furious…no, enraged. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Ryoma and Ohtori walked inside the club house, hand in hand and are all over each other. His superb senses told him earlier that the reason why Ryoma asked that question was because he and Ohtori are not doing fine but here they are and they seemed like they're more in love with each other than before. Atobe stormed into his room, pushing past the other kids. He slammed the door behind him, causing some of the kids to back away from his so-called sanctum.

"Argh!" Atobe screams were muffled by the pillow. He screamed his voice hoarse and until he finally gave in to fatigue. "It's not fair!" he sobbed against his pillow. "We had a connection earlier!"

It was the same situation inside Shishido's room, just more violent. The scarred Hyotei regular was trashing the room. He turned the bed mattresses askew, he punched the walls a couple of times and finally collapse on his bed to sob silently.

"Damn it! Real boys don't cry. Why am I crying?!" his protests were muffled by the pillow. 'This is so uncool.' He added. It took a few minutes before he could recover. Now that he's sobbed himself puffy, he can continue the fight. He took out a picture of Ohtori from his wallet.

"I will not lose you. You're mine." he swore with a new resolve.

Atobe on the other hand was already making some phone calls.

"Oh yes. I know for a fact that I'll be a sure in for the Senbatsu team. Yes, it'll be held one week after that. Ok. Bye." With this he threw his phone on the bed. He raked his rake in his gorgeous hair, malice glinting in his eyes.

"You don't know who you're messing with Ohtori." He muttered. "I'll make your life a living hell if you still insist on keeping my Ryoma."

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They were surprised to know that they will all be riding the same bus home. Of course, Atobe and Shishido were adamant knowing that they will be subjected to more emotional turmoil since Ryoma and Ohtori will be together once more, for the nth time. It seemed liked they mutated overnight and were permanently joined at the hip. One was never without the other.

Boarding a bus has never been this difficult before. For the teachers it was hell. First, the kids were in total chaos, yelling here and there, fighting off who gets to sit with whom and to add to that, Atobe was throwing a hissy fit for no apparent reason or so they thought. He was pouting, stomping, glaring and threatening the teachers that he would tell his father about this "injustice".

"What do you suggest Atobe-kun?" Ryuzaki-sensei let out an exasperated sighed. They've been at it for 10 minutes now.

"I don't know." Atobe stubbornly replied. He has his arms crossed across his chest and he is not willing to give up the fight. 'If Ryoma gets to sit with Ohtori again I'll jump off the window.' He added.

Ryuzaki-sensei could see the defiance in his eyes. 'Talk about high-flashing stubborn aristocratic brats!' she took a deep breath as she tried to come up with a good idea. "Fine. If you don't want random seats we'll sit according to teams. Happy?"

Atobe flashed a triumphant grin at the Seigaku coach. "Sounds good enough for me." with this he strutted away from the woman who in turn was mentally cussing the boy.

A few minutes later, the students grumpily boarded the bus. It was only Shishido, Atobe and those who don't care (Sanada, Yanagi, etc…) were in an accommodating mood. It turned out Ryoma was seated between Fuji (much to his distaste) and Momo while Ohtori was quite ok since he was seated next to Kachirou who was still a little too scared to talk to him.

"Why the sad faces my beloved players?" Hanamura-sensei asked in her high school preppy voice. Some of the boys stared at her giddily while some just continued with their sulking mode. Hanamura-sensei adjusted her glasses and shook her head. "You know, such handsome boys like you shouldn't pout that much," she paused, "I know! Kids these days love music. I'll indulge you with your brand of music and promise, no matter how bad we want to pop in Mozart, we won't do it ok?" she looked at them hopefully and was pleased to see some of the sulkers smile. She muttered something to Sakaki-sensei before going back to her seat and a few seconds later a hip, modern song was emanating from the bus' speakers.

Soon they were moving their feet, fingers and heads to the beat of the song. It somehow lessened the tension inside the bus. Ryoma, due to the absence of Ohtori at his side, decided it is better to sleep than to start awkward conversation with his seatmates. Ohtori on the other hand was trying to apologize to the Seigaku freshman about his behavior.

"Once again, I'm really sorry Kachirou-san. I was just worried." Ohtori said. The Seigaku freshman was speechless. Ohtori was about to speak when he heard Atobe said something about the perfect song for the moment. There was indeed a new song being aired and it caught his attention immediately.

_She's so beautiful_

_She is suuuuuuper nice_

_Everybody say she's special_

"You like this song Atobe?" Sengoku asked. 'Who knew that Hyotei's famed Ore-sama loves teeny bopper songs?' he added silently.

"I just said, it's the perfect song for me at the moment." Atobe snapped at him before boring holes in the back of Ohtori's head. 'That's right. Analyze it sophomore.'

_She is wonderful_

_Unbelievable / sweet_

_I guess she is perfect_

_Stop saying she's just a friend_

_Keep hearing her name again, name again!_

'What are you trying to imply Buchou? I've never imagined you as a coward. Why can't you just meet me head on?' Ohtori pouted as he tried to extract the meaning of the song. He glanced at Ryoma's sleeping figure and was relieved that he is not going to witness this cold war between him and Atobe.

Shishido was hoping that the freshman brat would wake up though so that he would be crushed by the message of the song. 'He's not perfect Choutarou. It is I who knows whose perfect for you.'

_Really have to say_

_She's always in my way_

_I can't believe how much you love her_

_How can I make you see?_

_It's either her or me_

_I will never be like Jennifer_

'I can't believe that you're always in my way Ohtori. Who would've thought a worthless nobody like you would torment Ore-sama this much. You'll pay dearly Ohtori-kun. And I'll make sure that I will enjoy every part of it.' Atobe thought as he stole a glance at Ryoma. His paramour was serenely sleeping beside Momo and was surprised to feel a certain amount of jealousy towards the Seigaku sophomore as well. 'Everyone who gets close to Ryoma is a threat.'

_She's a fragile girl_

_Skin like porcelain_

_Shame on you, if you would hurt her_

_She's adorable_

_Oh so vulnerable_

_I wish that somebody would drop her_

Fuji was not stupid to not notice the hostility hovering above their section of the bus. He turned around and was not surprised to see Atobe glaring at Ohtori who was equally somber as well. Shishido was sporting an eternal pout and was glaring at—Echizen?

'Saa…I have to know what's going on. O'chibi's life is more interesting than I've ever imagined. 'He mused as he studied his kohai's sleeping visage. 'He's a male version of Helen of Troy.' He added. He glanced at the three once more and smiled a little. 'Yup. He caused the launch of a thousand ships and most of it has the Atobe family crest on it.'

_Stop saying she's just a friend_

_Keep hearing her name again, name again!_

_I really have to say_

_She's always in my way_

_I can't believe how much you love her_

_How can I make you see?_

_It's either her or me_

_I will never be like Jennifer_

'When will you realize the truth Choutarou? It's me that you have to choose! Let Echizen go. Atobe will only make you suffer for taking his prey." Shishido pondered gloomily. 'You're too good for him. He's only trouble. Pick me…love me…I will never be like Echizen!'

Kirihara was intrigued by the scene in front of him. He knew that something was going on the first time he saw the four together. There was an unspoken animosity between Ryoma and Shishido and Atobe and Ohtori. Trying to suppress his sadistic side, he decided to ask Ryoma later before drawing any conclusion or worse, making any move. He caught Yuuta's eyes and beckoned Fuji Syuusuke's brother to look at the scene as well. Yuuta gave him a questioning look and Kirihara just replied with a smirk. 'This is fun.'

The song was done but still the atmosphere did not change. Soon it was Sakaki-sensei who stood up with a smirk plastered on his face.

"I have here a video from Chilton University, Hyotei's sister school located in California USA. They've sent it to us two years ago to give us an idea of their student affairs organization." He started, waving a tape for them to see. "Though you have to convince someone for me to play it."

"Chilton?! Oh my god!" Atobe gasped. 'I've never seen this tape before! I've so have to see this! I heard Chilton has the most impressive SAO among the five schools!'

Ohtori was gaping in awe at Sakaki-sensei for quite a while. 'Convince someone? Could it be Ryoma?' he silently asked. Soon he was frozen on his seat when Sakaki-sensei approached him and handed him the tape.

"Work your magic."

"But sensei!" Ohtori protested. Everybody turned to look at him in confusion. He felt his hands trembled when he accepted the tape.

"But Sakaki-sensei, why Ohtori? Who is this person that we need to convince?" Mizuki asked.

"Just watch." Sakaki-sensei said and made Ohtori stand up. The tall boy looked pale and hesitantly approached Fuji's seat.

Fuji was smiling broadly at the Hyotei sophomore. "Is that for me?" he asked.

"no." the boy muttered. Ohtori reached in and gently tapped Ryoma's cheek. "Ryoma, wake up please. I need to ask you something."

Ryoma stirred from his slumber and was surprised to see Ohtori's anxious face. "Naze?"

Ohtori took a deep breath. 'Sakaki-sensei sure knows how to bully someone into a shitty mess.' He groaned inwardly. He showed the tape to Ryoma who was squinting his eyes to recall the item. "Would it be ok if we watch this?" he bit his tongue as if he said something offensive.

Ryoma's eyes grew into a comical size when he finally realized that kind of tape his boyfriend was holding up. "Where did you get that Choutarou?" Ohtori pointed at Sakaki-sensei to simply wave back at him.

"Echizen? What's in the tape?" Momo asked.

"Yadda."

"It's Hyotei's property now, Echizen. I'm just being polite in asking your permission. I'd let them see it even if you protest." Sakaki-sensei reasoned out.

"Yadda! There was an agreement that that tape will be used for a project only. How could've Hyotei gotten it?" Ryoma glared back at him. ' Wartts! I'm so gonna kill you for this!'

"Principal Wartts sent it and it's dubbed in Nihonggo." the Hyotei coached replied.

"Are you hiding something Echizen? It wouldn't that much of a bother to just let us see the tape right?" Inui asked, his reflective glasses are gleaming maliciously.

Ryoma was fuming. He took out his cell phone and quickly dialed a number.

"I told you Sakaki. Be ready for the biggest English tongue lashing of your life." Ryuzaki called out. They were frozen in their seats especially when Ryoma started yelling some English words.

"**Stevenson! How did your project land in the hands of Hyotei, you dimwit?!**" Ryoma clench his fist while he listened for the reply. **"I specifically said that if this bullshit gets in the wrong hands I will mangle you, you idiot! Now that it's in the wrong hands do you know what I'll do to you?!**" Ryoma barked.

Everybody was trying to get a hang of his words since English was a foreign language; most of them were having a hard time.

"What did he say?" Aoi asked Saeki. "He said something about mangling the person on the other line or something. Man, this boy is a spitfire." He replied.

Atobe was quite amused by this attitude of Ryoma. Somehow he reminded him of someone he perfectly knew…himself.

'This is the proof that Ryoma is a little Atobe when he was in US.' Ohtori thought anxiously as the tongue lashing continued.

"I** will not forget this Stevenson. If you've not been Carlos' bloody understudy, I would've smacked you down so hard you'd be landing straight into Loserville.**" With this he cut off the conversation and collapsed on his seat. "You are so gonna regret this Sakaki-sensei." He muttered.

"I'm really sorry Ryoma." Ohtori apologized. 'I should've stood up for you.' He was scared to add the last part.

Ryoma's expression softened when he saw Choutarou's face. "It's ok. It's not your fault." He assured him.

"Yosh! Got the approval!" Sakaki-sensei said triumphantly before popping the tape into the player. Everybody settled back to their seats but was still shaken by what happened earlier.

"Echizen is sure scary inside and outside the courts." Kajimoto muttered. Most of the kids who heard him nodded in agreement. Someone upfront shushed them as the video started. The first thing that they saw was a younger version of Ryoma, a bit more stuffed (Oishi worriedly pointed out that O'chibi has lost a lot of weight), a little shorter (most of them smirked) and looked very scary (everybody silently concluded that Ryoma was scarier in the video than earlier).

"_If this gets in the wrong hands Stevenson, I'm going to mangle you so bad that you will be sharing a face with the dog." Ryoma threatened the person holding the camera. A hand tapped his arm and a handsome redhead appeared. _

"_Come now Ryo. We've talked about this right?" he said calmly. It was effective since Ryoma looked like he's calming down." Ralph needs this to pass his advanced curriculum."_

"_Please Senior Echizen…I really need this." Ralph pleaded _(the one holding the camera)

_Ryoma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. I'm doing this because Carlos asked nicely." He adjusted the strap of his side bag. "Better not get in my way or else…"_

_The redhead pulled Ryoma. "Or else you'll mangle him, we know. Now let's go or we'll be late."_

"Their uniform is better than ours." Atobe said gloomily while he stared at the greenish-gray pants-vest-coat uniform of Chilton.

"He's scary." Atsushi muttered to his twin brother Ryou. Sakaki-sensei paused the tape when two more boys joined Ryoma and the redhead.

"Ok, of course you know Echizen Ryoma. The redhead next to him is Juan Carlos De Vera, son of one of America's wealthiest entrepreneurs. This kid here who looks roughly like Yukimura Seiichi of Rikkai in glasses is Sylvan Beauclaire, son of the owner of Clairiel Hotel in Tokyo." He explained then earning oohs and aahs from his audience. "And the last here, the blonde Akutagawa look alike is James Royd Thorrington, son of biggest telecommunication magnate in the US. Take note of them Atobe for these four people here are the powerful pillars behind the successful CSL–SAO of Chilton University."

"Ch!" Ryoma spat and did a mocking of Sakaki-sensei. He plugged his ears by earphones before settling back to his sleep.

"Anyway, on with the show…"

"_What can I say; I'm utterly impressed by your popularity Ryoma." Sylvan muttered while eying the camera. "You've gained yourself private paparazzi."_

"_Like I wanted it to be." Ryoma groaned when a pair of arms suddenly wormed around his arm." Jamie…"_

"_You shouldn't pout so much Ryo…you'll grow old faster." Jamie teased. Ryoma gently slapped his head with a folder he's holding. They stopped in front of two large oak doors before Ryoma pushed it open. _

_Three snaps of his fingers and everybody in the room scurried back to their seats. _

"_Heads up squirts. This chamber is in session." Ryoma said before flopping down a large CEO chair up front. _

"No way! Are you telling me the Echizen was the head of student affairs organization? He looks roughly like a 5th grader there!" Wakato protested.

"Actually he is. He's the Chancellor of the Chamber of Student Leaders: Grade School Chapter. He's also the youngest to be elected to the position in Chilton's 156 years of history." Ryuzaki-sensei said proudly.

"In short, he's the King of Chilton Prime and he's so powerful that he bested even the dominant sixth graders. See the gold band on his right arm? That's the symbol of the Chancellor." Sakaki-sensei added.

"But sensei…they're just kids! How can they best us when it comes to SAO governance?" Shishido asked.

"Watch…"

_Ryoma beckoned the rest to take a seat. He turned to face the girl behind him and handed her a notebook. "I want our agenda for this afternoon to be clear. We'll discuss and approve the new proposals and do a check and balance on the Ministers' reports. Our OM will be about the upcoming 154th Foundation week. Any questions?" he asked. Everyone in front of him was busy scribbling after him. _

"_Good. Now read the new proposals, Mr. Craig." Ryoma leaned back and crossed his legs as the SC stood up to read the new proposals. _

"Ok to be clear, the kids at the back of those seated by the tables are the understudies. Echizen is the Chancellor, to his right is Sylvan who's the Minister of Internal Affairs and to his left is James who's the Minister of External Affairs. The girl next to him is the Secretary General. Carlos is the Minister of Treasury and Finance and the boy next to him is the Minister of Audit. The last two of the Silver Collars is the Speaker of the Chamber and the Head of the Security Council." Sakaki-sensei explained.

Atobe already has his VIO out to take important notes. 'All right I admit. They have a better looking SAO than Hyotei.'

"The remaining 5 students in Bronze Collars are the grade reps." Ryuzaki-sensei added.

"Wow…O'chibi's so powerful to be standing at the top of their power pyramid." Eiji muttered while gaping at their freshman in awe. "Yeah…and to think that we've been bullying him once and a while." Momo added.

"_Proposal to put juicers into prep class—"_

"_To be discussed."_

"_Proposal to change the intercom system—"_

"_To be discussed."_

_Proposal for a monument for Kai—"_

"_Reject Pile!"_

_There was a collective groan from the girls…_

"_Proposal to shorten the length of the girl's skirt"_

" _Reject pile!" _

"_Pardon me Chancellor—"a blond girl from the Bronze Collars raised her hands._

"_Denied." Ryoma cut her off. _

"_But please Chancellor, hear us out." the girl insisted. She flipped her hair and batted her eyelashes at Ryoma. "I think it's time to imbibe liberalization—"_

"_That last I heard Chilton is still one, if not the best among the Ivy League Academes in the country, not a whorehouse so a big, fat NO." Ryoma stated coldly._

"_But Chancellor—"_

"_What letter in the word NO did you not understand?" Ryoma snapped at her. James whistled in the heat of the argument in which Carlos put a stop by elbowing him hard in the ribs. Carlos gave the girl a sympathetic glance as if apologizing for his friend's behavior. _

"_But Chancellor, you're suppressing freedom of expression." The girl complained. She stood up and passed around a few papers. _

"_Freedom of expression? More like freedom to expose your bodies." Sylvan said after reading some of the contents of the paper she gave out. He then crumpled it and threw it backwards where a girl caught it expertly and placed it through the shredder. James and Carlos were already chuckling while reading the rest of the texts. _

"_you do not understand Minister Beauclaire'—"_

"_For heaven's sake Ms. Bennett we're twelve years old! What can you show off?" Ryoma was getting irritated. _

"_Well, they can flaunt their underdeveloped chests and thighs. Maybe that's what they're aiming for." James blurted out before dissolving with fits of laughter. Sophia Bennett flushed hard. _

"_The last time I've checked this is a free country." Sophia snapped at him. James sobered up although he was quite surprised that someone was brave enough to contest him. _

"_Why you little—" Carlos immediately placed a hand over James' mouth. _

_Ryoma sighed and leaned on the table. "But you're currently in a formal institute with rules, laws and proper decorum to be followed Ms. Bennett." He stood up and stared to pace around the table. " this University, along with its four sister schools around the world which are equally impressive, is known for producing top-notch leaders not just the business sector but even in the political sector, not sluts or strippers-to-be. I will not allow anything to taint its 153 years of glorious history with short skirts." He paused behind Sophia. "Intiendes?"_

Ohtori just shook his head. He cannot believe what he's seeing. 'I don't know what forced him to change but I'm glad my Ryoma is different from this one.' he thought.

"Nya!!! He's scarier than Tezuka-buchou!" Eiji cried. "I'm glad our O'chibi is not as ruthless as this one!" he snuggled closer to Oishi. The interim captain in turn shook his head. 'Echizen sure is changed.'

"He's very intimidating." Sengoku whispered to Sanada. The Rikkai fukubuchou just nodded.

"That's a school for the privileged right? Echizen family seems to belong to the middle class." Oshitari mumbled out loud. Most of the kids nodded in agreement.

"The Echizens are wealthy alright. They just don't flaunt it. Echizen Rinko was the best and highly-paid defense attorney in the state of California. Aside from that, his father, Echizen Nanjiroh was a high-earning professional tennis player. They owned a sports club and a restaurant." Hanamura-sensei told them.

"Then why Seigaku and why live such a plebian life?" Atobe asked, he was having a hard time hiding his disappointment. "And besides, Hyotei is Chilton's sister school. He should've been enrolled there." Buzz of collected murmurs spread inside the bus.

"Why? What's wrong with Seigaku?" Momo challenged him.

Sakaki-sensei sighed deeply. "It is true that he was supposed to attend Hyotei however it's the family's personal choice to send him to Seigaku." He said. 'And that cost us the championships. Damn you Ryuzaki Sumire. If you haven't been Nanoji's sensei Hyotei would've been the strongest team now.'

There was a long pause before…

"So the movie's done?" Horio asked stupidly. This somehow uplifted the aura inside the vehicle.

"Unfortunately yes Horio-kun. Despite Hyotei's requests to have the complete version they remained unmoved. There is still a competition between the five schools and the rest of the tape shows an explicit overview of Chilton's training program especially their prized tennis club." The Hyotei coach replied.

"And you're just pissed off because they won't give you a glimpse of their infamous training module." Ryuzaki-sensei commented and it made the Hyotei coach frown. "Let's just say a breathing epitome of that program is right here, sleeping despite your presence." she turned to face the students. "Echizen was the captain of Chilton's prestigious tennis club for two consecutive years, meaning he became captain even when he was still a 5th grader."

This earned gasps from the students. No one could believe that the small Seigaku regular was once captain.

"Well that explains his arrogance." Shinji muttered.

"And he brought Chilton three national championship titles in a row. The first two entitled him the most coveted status in their school, Kaiser. Not only that, one of his best friends, Sylvan created a device that can actually train a tennis player to become ambidextrous. From then on Chilton was known for producing adept ambidextrous players. I'm not surprised if one of Echizen's former kohais will receive a special invitation to join the Junior Invitational Camp. That's how good they are that even primary graders are invited to a camp exclusively offered to JH." The Seigaku coach was beaming proudly at them.

It took a full minute before they could recover.

"So you mean there is a great possibility that we'll be facing off with an elementary student? Mind douche!" Kirihara exclaimed.

"Yes there is since I've just recently learned that Chilton once again became the Sectional Champions. They're the number one seeded team in the Nationals. I won't be surprised if their current captain, Mauricio Crammer, once Echizen's apprentice is on the line-up." Sakaki-sensei told them.

"So we need to talk to Echizen to get information about this Crammer person. It'll be very valuable." Yanagi announced. This caused a little uproar from the students.

"He won't be joining the Invitational Cup."

They all turned to see Ryoma fully awake.

"Pardon me?" Atobe asked.

"You think he'll be declining the offer just like what you were doing for almost two years?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked him.

"No."

"Then why?"

"He's flying to Brazil for his reconstructive treatment. His shoulder got busted during the finals of the Sectional Tournament." Ryoma told them.

"Just like what happened to Tezuka-kun?" Yuuta asked.

"No. he got mugged the night before the final matches. Some school was desperate enough to bring Chilton down. I heard they hit his shoulders with a pipe. Stupid kid refused to back out and still played. Luckily his shoulders gave out after the games." Ryoma told them.

"Oh god…that is terrible! How could they've done that!?" Ohtori spat indignantly.

"Desperate times calls for desperate measures." Taka said.

"So who's taking reigns? The Unity Cup is fast approaching." Ryuzaki-sensei asked.

"I haven't decided yet." Ryoma muttered.

"YOU?!"

Ryoma smirked. " there's one good thing the idiotic principal Wartts and his equally idiotic Chancellor puppet did. " he plugged his ears with earphones once more, " they made me Grand Kaiser so I get to decide what goes if my former club falls into crisis." With this he shut his eyes to go back to sleep.

_She is wonderful_

_Unbelievable / sweet_

_I guess she is perfect_

Shishido's frown became more evident. 'Yeah…I will never be like Echizen.'

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The students were ecstatic to go home. They were all cheering and yelling as they got off the bus.

"My baka oyaji said that you parents will pick you up in my house." Ryoma told Ohtori as they retrieve their baggage.

Ohtori's heart jumped in glee upon hearing the news. 'Means I get to spend more time with my Cat-eyes!' he smiled sweetly at the freshman. "That would be great Ryoma." but was surprised to see his boyfriend frown.

"Why?" he asked.

"We have company." Ryoma told him. Ohtori looked up and saw Kirihara standing behind his koibito.

"Sorry to intrude but parental orders as well." Kirihara shrugged.

Ohtori tried to make his smile more believable. 'Aww dang!' "It's ok Kirihara-kun. I won't mind."

"This is lame. I had to come home with aniki so I don't get to tag along." Yuuta murmured, trying to keep his older brother out of earshot.

There was a sudden shushing among the students. The four kohais turned a round were utterly surprised to see who just arrived. Ryoma was frozen in his place while Ohtori's face sobered up. His arrival was not expected at all.

'Oh god not you too…' Ohtori silently complained.

'Talk about bad luck!' Atobe was amused by this unforeseen event. 'The games much more exciting to play now that the dethroned is back.' He stole a glance at Ryoma and was surprised to see the freshman's ashen face.

"Okaeri nasai, Tezuka-buchou!!!!!!!"

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A/N: am sorry for the side story…it's just that some are really getting curious about Ryoma's past life so I decided that you deserve a little glimpse. Notice that I didn't follow the sequencing in the anime series. I think it's more dramatic this way. Idk…whatyathink? Please update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	12. A break from Harmony

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!). And for the first time, Sylvan and James will be actually characters…not flashbacks or video characters. Oh and they're adept in speaking Nihonggo. Talk about being a linguist.

**IMPORTANT NOTE!** : THIS CHAPTER IS NOT A SONG FIC. DUE TO WRITER'S BLOCK, THE AUTHOR DOESN'T HAVE A SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER! (kidding!) THE SONGS WILL RESUME NEXT CHAPTER. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO RYOMA REALLY IS IN THIS STORY. MWAHERZ!!!!!!!

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Ohtori and Kirihara left with their parents after dinner. It was a festive evening indeed for they celebrated Ryoma and Kirihara's appointment to the Japanese line-up for the junior invitational. Ohtori good-naturedly accept his none acceptance and he wished them all the best. He pulling Kirihara aside to ask him to keep a close eye on Ryoma and to keep him away from Atobe during the tournament was the icing on the cake. The freshman was able to forget about Tezuka's unexpected return and his Chilton problems for a while. But long after they bid goodbye, everything started to catch up on the poor boy. He excused himself from the family meeting in regards to their businesses to have some time for himself.

He's been staring at his monitor for quite a while now. He's been like that after he changed and had Karupin settled comfortably on his lap. "I'll deal with Tezuka later. I have more pressing matters to attend to." He muttered before turning on his PC.

Flashback

"_Ano…Ryoma…" Ohtori stammered as they went up to the music room. _

"_You're worried right?" Ryoma asked, his golden eyes sparkling like stars on the middle of a dark stormy night. _

"_You might think I'm stupid to feel…" Ohtori stammered but he trailed off when he felt himself being pulled down until he leveled with the freshman. _

"_There's nothing for you to be worried about." Ryoma said firmly before placing a firm kiss on his lips. _

_Ohtori smiled and deepened their kiss. "Thanks Ryoma. You made me feel complete and at ease." _

End of flashback

Ryoma smiled at the memory. He never thought he'd see the day Ohtori's "best friend forever" attitude would be jeopardized by jealousy. His hand deftly reached for his cell phone and plugged a universal port so that he could initiate a video conference. He waited for James to pick up. Soon the once happy-go-lucky face of his blonde best friend flashed on the screen.

"What happened?" Ryoma asked worriedly. He's sure that there's something wrong going on when James looked this serious.

James squinted his eyes, as if trying to make his self believe that it's really Ryoma in front of him. "You look like you've lost a couple of pounds." He said. He raked a hand through his messy blonde locks.

"I've had my bad days, you know the rest. What got you in this kind of mood? And where's Sylvan? And why are you in a suit?" Ryoma asked.

James sighed. "Sylvan's in the Wushu dojo venting out his anger in some poor dummy. The suit? It's the reason for our mood." He reached up to loosen his tie.

"Can you quit dilly-dallying and tell me what's wrong?" Ryoma asked, his patience slipping away every second.

"Didn't Aunt Rinko tell you?" James asked, looking perturbed.

Ryoma scratched his head in annoyance. "Tell me what?"

"Today was the blessing for a newly erected statue in Chilton Prime." James said with his heart racing. 'Man! Why do I have to be the one to do this?!'

"Ok…why the face?" Ryoma asked. "Wait…whose statue is it?" he felt a hard tug at his heart. 'Uh-oh…not good.' He saw James covered his face with his hands as if protecting himself from eventual shrapnel wounds.

"Yours."

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Fuji and Tezuka were up in Fuji's room, having a chat about what occurred during his absence. Tezuka was propped on Fuji's bed while the tensai tends to his nightly grooming.

"And the biggest shock was finding out that O'chibi hooked up with Ohtori from Hyotei." Fuji cheerfully reported. "You know him right?" he said while facing Tezuka.

'Yeah I know him…the sneaky little cradle snatcher. 'Tezuka frowned before nodding at the smiling tensai who was currently combing his soft chestnut hair (vain? Hahaha!).

Fuji smiled at his boyfriend's reaction. 'I know you're protective of him too.' He mused, totally misinterpreting Tezuka's frown. "I know how you feel but they looked very happy with each other." He stood up and flopped next to Tezuka. "They're perfect for each other." He added as he cuddled into Tezuka's warmth.

The stoic boy hesitantly wound his arms around the smaller boy. 'perfect? I don't think so.' He thought bitterly. "How was camp?" he took off his glasses and placed it on the nightstand.

"It was fun. Atobe-kun and Sanada-kun are playing Doubles 1 while Eiji and Oshitari-kun are on Doubles two. Sengoku surprised everybody by grabbing Singles 3 while Kirihara got Singles 2. Of course, it's O'chibi who emerged victor among all since he'll be playing Singles 1." Fuji said while brushing off a couple of strands off Tezuka's face. "That kid is unstoppable." He added before placing a chaste kiss on Tezuka's lips. "I miss you."

It was like an automatic reaction to deepen the kiss. Tezuka felt a twinge of guilt since he's mind is somewhere else.

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Ryoma was glaring at James on the monitor while the latter was biting his nails in anxiety. "This is so unfair! Why am I taking all your anger!? It's not my fault!!" James has his bitch-mode on. He looked really stricken with his unearthly blue eyes showed intense fear.

"How can I not be angry? First you said a statue of me was erected this morning then you said the administration and the CSL will not be doing anything about Crammer's case and most of all…" Ryoma gritted his teeth, "its ALL KRISTINA'S FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!" he was unable to restrain himself and screamed at the top of his lungs.

James cringed at the abrupt increase in volume. "I did my best to stop it but Kristina's unstoppable. She's been doing underhanded deals with Wartts and now they're a rampaging demo machine." James pouted and used his fool-proof puppy eyes. "We did every thing we can but it was so hard. She has forbidden Anika and the others from contacting us."

Ryoma was breathing hard and his knuckles are white. He then realized that his muscles are trembling in anger. He was about to punch the monitor when a sudden knock stole his attention. He grumpily stood up, leaving James shaking in fear on the other line. He roughly opened the door and glared at the intruder.

"Why didn't you tell me about the statue?!" Ryoma cried, startling his poor mother.

It took a couple seconds before Rinko could react. "Honey, I wasn't informed until this evening. How am I able to ruin a fun night by such maddening news?" she asked her son. Soon his face softened up and he suddenly succumbed into his mother's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Mommy." Ryoma said in a small child-like voice. Warmth flooded into Rinko's heart when she felt Ryoma's arms tightened around her.

"It's ok Honey. Do you want me to take care of it? And who is the poor boy who was unfortunate enough to have told you the truth?" she asked while rubbing Ryoma's back.

"Auntie!!!!! Help!!! Ryoma's gonna kill me!!!!" James' voice rang inside the room.

"Shut up!" Ryoma snapped.

"Auntie!!!!" James wailed.

"Now Ryoma it's not his fault. Do you want me to do something about the statue?" Rinko asked his son.

Ryoma shook his head. "No…I can handle it." he said. With this, Rinko let him go back inside.

"Tsk! He's in a bad mood alright." Nanjiroh spoke from behind.

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Tezuka was still awake and staring up the ceiling. Fuji was already asleep, curled up next to him. he's been like that for a while now, sleep was still eluding him. He kept on rehashing the scene he was earlier. It was Ryoma smiling while talking to Ohtori.

'If I hadn't screwed up, would I still own your smile Ryoma? Why did you choose Ohtori? Was it because he reminded you of Carlos? Was I not good enough to even be just a filler for him?" Tezuka pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt urge to cry again. 'He was perfect Ryoma. He was your soul mate. It would've been so much easier if you just told me about him.'

He felt Fuji shift beside him. He studied the serene face of the tensai. Even from the start, he wasn't sure about his feelings towards the cheerful boy. 'I wouldn't be too insecure if I had known all along.'

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Sylvan joined the video call a few minutes after Ryoma's unexpected outburst. Ryoma was used to see expressionless face but now it showed a certain gleam that similar to an aggravated lion.

"I'm totally pissed off. If it wasn't for Jamie I would've mauled her right now." Sylvan growled. He massaged his temples to somehow appease the tension inside of him.

"You should." Ryoma said pointedly at James.

"It was a formal event and our parents with Aunt Estelle and Uncle Igo were there. We cannot risk bloodbath with them nearby. And besides, Aunt Cesca had always had this creepy sixth sense and she'll know if we're up to something." James defended himself.

Sylvan ruffled his blue hair. "Tell us what's on your mind Ryo." He said.

Ryoma smirked and showed them his copy of Chilton's humungous Code of Law. "I want you to make a Memorandum of Suspension for McPherson; one for breaking the provisions in Articles 9 and 10 and another for breaking the bylaws of Article 15. And another one for the transferees from St. Iseus for breaking the provisions in Article 16. I need a comprehensive one basing on the Crammer, the Statue and the St. Iseus Cases. I need that tomorrow morning. I will be making a few calls to further the Mcpherson's administrative inquiry so once you've received my signed MS you can serve it ASAP." Ryoma said.

"You really are doing your part in ruining her life. What about us?" James complained, flipping his blonde ponytail.

"Is there something else that you want us to do?" Sylvan asked, looking very interested.

Ryoma's smirk winded at the question. "Whatever you want to do to her…" his pupils started constricting again. "…don't hold back."

A familiar leer formed in the lips of his friends, their eyes glinting in excited malice. "Ryoma, it's like you made Christmas early." James was ecstatic and started jumping up and down.

"Hmmm…" Sylvan muttered. He was already thinking along the lines of blackmail and minor harassments.

"You show her why people call us The Unspeakable since she must've forgotten because she became an understudy." Ryoma said.

"The bitch has gotten cozy with us. We'll teach her a lesson she will never forget." James replied.

"And since we do not have a living conscience anymore, we can do whatever we want right?" Sylvan said cautiously while eyeing Ryoma whose face sobered up at the comment.

"Yeah…" Ryoma muttered sadly. "…I never thought I'd see the day that no one is stopping the three of us from wrecking havoc. We'll just have to remember to ask THAT question to ourselves when we're planning something big and drastic ok?"

"YOSH!"

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Since everyone wanted everybody to be there, Tezuka's Welcome Party was schedule next Saturday in Republika de Jarina. Taka was to bring some of their sushi house's specialty and Ryoma was commissioned to bring some of Island Cove's as well. And since they're having it at RJ, a cake was a must. To compound Ryoma's torment, Nanako called him up to tell him that he'll be the one to design a Tezuka cake.

All week long, Tezuka tried to corner Ryoma to talk about their situation however he doesn't have the cunning of a tensai like Fuji so whatever he does it always fails. The heavy aura was back in Seigaku and no one knows why except of the two.

"Echizen."

Ryoma turned around to see Tezuka standing by the window, watching him change. Ryoma sighed. "What is it Buchou?" he asked with eyes still averting the senior's gaze.

"We need to talk." Tezuka said firmly. 'And I know we should've done this a long time ago.' He added mentally.

"Talk about what? Tennis? Or you and Fuji-senpai?" Ryoma finally held his gaze but those warm golden eyes now looked fierce and challenging. 'Why are you making this so hard Kunimitsu?'

If he wasn't Tezuka, he would've taken aback upon seeing Ryoma like this. "No. let's talk about you and Carlos."

The freshman was unable to hide the shock in his eyes. 'Who told him? I never told him that!' he took a deep breath to collect himself. "Carlos has nothing to do with us Kunimitsu." He told the bespectacled senior. The taller boy in turn started walking towards him with an angry look on his face.

"He has everything to do with us, Ryoma." Tezuka spat with eyes gleaming in anger. He was about to grab Ryoma's arm when—

"Oi Echizen!! What's taking you so—"Momo suddenly barged inside the clubroom, freezing in mid-sentence when he saw the two of them.

Ryoma averted his gaze from Tezuka and resumed to his earlier task. "I'm coming momo-senpai."

"No it's ok. If you and Buchou have something important—"Momo started.

"It was about tennis. Now let's go Momo-senpai." Ryoma semi-slammed his locker door. He cast one last look at Tezuka and bowed before exiting the room. It took a couple of seconds before Momo could react. He clumsily bid Tezuka goodbye before going after his kohai.

Tezuka groaned in frustration knowing that once again he was not able to get any answers. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of square eyeglasses gleamed under the afternoon soon.

"Ii data…"

Momo was eyeing his kohai suspiciously. It was not in Ryoma's character to behave in front of their captain like that. The Ryoma he knew was always amicable in Tezuka's presence. 'You and buchou are hiding something Echizen and I'm practically your best friend. Why are you not telling me?' he was hoping the freshman could somehow telepathically receive his thoughts but he guessed those things are not supposed to happen in real life as the freshman just continued walking sulkily beside him.

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Saturday came in a blur. Everybody was busy making preparation for Tezuka's so-called party and it's making everyone crazy especially if it's Fuji who's heading the celebration. Ryoma was exhausted both physically and emotionally. All week long he's been avoiding Tezuka and was smothered by worried woes of his boyfriend as well. Ryoma can perfectly relate to Ohtori. Of course he would feel the same way if Shishido was Ohtori's ex-boyfriend and he has to spend 45 hrs a week with him.

He was revitalized however when he received the news that the suspension was already served and Kristina McPherson is experiencing hell on a first-hand basis courtesy of Sylvan and James. After three days Kristina turned from the most powerful and popular to the powerless and most unpopular student in Chilton Prime. It turned out that Sylvan and James are having the time of their life making her miserable. They've been bored ever since Ryoma left for Japan. What our little hero didn't expect was a much unexpected visit from someone whom he swore will suffer for the rest of her life.

Ryoma was waiting for Nanako to finish the cake base so that he could start designing it. It was Fuji's request to make a replica of Tezuka. Momo, Kaidou, Inui, Oishi and Eiji were busy decorating the place with the help of the staff. Soon, Kirihara and Yuuta arrived with the Rikkai and St. Rudolph regulars. It was a big surprise to see Yukimura up and well and flirting. Ryoma was basically his eye candy the moment he walked in. despite Kirihara and Sanada's warnings that he's already taken Yukimura still insists in hitting on him.

"They're not married yet right?" the handsome Rikkai captain asked shamelessly. The Rikkai regulars just shook their heads in frustration. Ryoma was just keeping quiet and if possible, away from the handsome Rikkai captain.

"You should see how he and Ohtori are like. Maybe you'll change your mind." Atsushi told him. Yukimura just raised his eyebrow questioningly at the St. Rudolf regular.

"Yeah. He and O'chibi are like this." Eiji held his hand and crossed his fingers. "They're inseparable, nya!"

"You mean…" Niou looked at Sanada expectantly.

"They're a couple." Yanagi announced.

Yukimura pouted. 'But he's too cute for Ohtori-kun. He'll be perfect for me.' he mused. "Ne Echizen-kun, does that mean you're exclusively dating?" he flipped his blue hair off his face. "Can you make a non-exclusive dating instead?"

Ryoma couldn't help but smirk and roll his eyes. Rikkai does have one trait common to all…they're incorrigible. He was about to go inside the kitchen when the door opened and one of their staff said that they're closed for business today. He turned around and was shocked to see who was standing on the doorway.

"**Senior Echizen, I need to talk to you.**"

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Nanjiroh was busy mingling with the customers when Rinko politely pulled him aside. He was concerned by the urgency in her expression.

"What's the matter Rinko?" he asked.

Rinko took a deep breath to calm her self. "Anata, she's here." Rinko blurted out.

Nanjiroh eyed his wife quizzically. He knew that something bad will happen if Rinko is behaving this way. "Who's here?"

"You wouldn't believe it…"

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The Hyotei regulars agreed to go together. They met the rest of Seigaku regulars outside RJ. Atobe smirked at the sight of Tezuka.

"I dare hope you are in good condition today." He said, barely hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

Tezuka's eyebrow twitched at the comment. "I'm fine Atobe-kun. I'm more than ok." He muttered. He glanced at Ohtori who in turn met his gaze head on. 'I never thought he'd be an arrogant little imp.'

"So shall we?" Fuji went to the door. They followed him inside but were met by worried and scared faces of the others. Everybody who was invited came however, they looked like they wanted to leave that very minute.

"What's happening?" Gakuto asked.

Eiji was staring anxiously at the office door before meeting their gaze.

"Um Fuji, we have a little situation here." Oishi stammered. 'This is bad! It'll ruin Tezuka's party.' He added worriedly.

"A little situation?" Fuji opened his eyes, indicating that he doesn't like what's happening.

"What situation?" Atobe asked. The rest of them took their seats.

"Where's Ryoma?" Ohtori asked worriedly. He scanned the room and no Ryoma in sight.

"Actually it's not a little situation." Saeki said. He stood up and walked towards Fuji. "Ryoma's inside the office with a girl…"

"NANI?!?!" Ohtori, Atobe and Tezuka cried. Ohtori looked grim and was about to prove Saeki's statement but Jirou held him back.

"Hey cool off. Let him finish." The cheery Hyotei regular told him.

"I wasn't finished," Saeki said.

"Ok, he's in there with a girl so?" Oshitari asked.

"Since they went in, we've been hearing indistinct screaming in English and in Japanese." Kajimoto said. The kitchen door slammed opened and out came a hysteric Nanako with a handful of keys.

"Na-chan…" they muttered.

"I'm really sorry boys. This won't take long…" she muttered as she fumbled with the keys to open the door. Tsubame and the other staff members were equally perturbed. "Aha! There you are!" Nanako muttered triumphantly when she found the right key. She was about to insert into the knob when the door was yanked opened. She backed away just in time as Ryoma came striding out, looking as if he's ready to commit murder. Following him was a blonde girl, barely older than 12, crying hysterically. She grabbed a hold of Ryoma's arm but he yanked it away purposely.

"Don't touch me!" Ryoma roared. The girl staggered backwards.

"Please Senior Ryoma, don't do this to me!" the girl pleaded. It was a pitiful sight to see. It was very similar to daytime shows where Ryoma is the villain and the girl is the battered heroine.

Ryoma caught glance of the shocked faces in front of him. 'God why now?!' he turned to see the staff watching them as well. "What are you doing?! Go back to work!!" he bellowed and the employees skedaddled to escape the wrath of the Spitfire.

Nanako helped the girl up on her feet. She was crying hysterically.

"What's going on Echizen?" Tezuka asked. He eyed the girl and assumed that she's not Japanese. The freshman didn't answer but instead kicked the chair that's in his way.

"Echizen! Calm down!" Oishi cried as the chair hit the counter.

'What's happening? I'm never seen him this angry before!' Ohtori panicked. He was about to calm Ryoma down but the girl broke free of Nanako and clung to Ryoma's arm.

"Kristina no!!" Nanako cried as Ryoma pushed the girl away.

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME, BITCH!!!!" Ryoma screamed. He was red in anger.

"Please Senior Ryoma don't do this to me…please." The girl sobbed hysterically. "I'll do anything you want. I'll take down the statue—"

"You can go to hell and die, that's what you can do for me McPherson. There's nothing you can do to appease my anger." Ryoma said her name as if it was bile on his mouth. "After what you've done, I'm going to crush you so bad that you wouldn't even have a scratch to start on. I'm going to make sure you won't forget the day you crossed my path." His eyes were blazing in fury.

"But Senior!!" Kristina cried, hoping that her senpai would see light. "I had to do it!"

The boys were frozen on their places at the fight raged on. It was cruel to just sit there and watch what was happening but they don't have any choice.

"Had to do it for what?! To please Wartts? For Christ's sake Kristina we all know that all he wants is that JH Principal chair! You were to suppose to look after the welfare of the students, not some leech who wanted nothing but power!" Ryoma snapped at her.

"I had to do it to make them know that I'm not just you're shadow, Senior Ryoma! Ever since I became Chancellor everybody kept comparing me to you. I have to do it so that I'll be more like you, respected by everybody, someone who has her own identity." The girl replied. "And I thought I'd make you happy." A fresh batch of tears escaped her eyes.

"Happy? You think knowing that you've destroyed everything we've been fighting for would make me happy? You think I would be happy when I realized that the person whom I trusted to be loyal to me would betray me?" Ryoma was ready to raze the girl to the ground. 'How could she?' he clenched his fists. "YOU THINK KNOWING THAT A VERY GOOD ATHLETE IS ABOUT TO LOSE HIS ABILITY TO PLAY TENNIS BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID DECISION WILL MAKE ME HAPPY?!?!?!"

Everybody cringed at the sight of Ryoma. He was different. No, this is not the Echizen Ryoma that they know. Even Tezuka could not believe what's he's seeing.

"I had to do it to win. By the time Crammer stepped into captainship I knew I had to do something to keep Chilton at the top. I cannot imagine all your hardship to take us to nationals—"

"I'd rather have all of you happy, enjoying the game and losing than to see you win with your teammates suffering. That's what Chilton Tennis Club stands for, Kristina: One Team, One Swing." Ryoma said. "Now I'm sure I'll never regret not making you captain. I could've seen this coming."

Kristina felt like she was slapped ten times across the face. "Then why Crammer?! Why not me?! Am I not good enough to replace you?! It is I who mastered all your techniques! I am a better player than Mauricio fucking Crammer could ever be! Why not choose me?! Why him?!" Kristina cried. "All my life I've devoted everything to you. Even if it'll make me look stupid and pathetic, I didn't stop because I wanted to be just like you!"

Nanako took the hysterical Kristina in her arms to protect her from anything that Ryoma might do to her seeing the terrifying expression on her cousin's face. She could he his pupils constricting similar to that of a feline. It is the most terrifying sight of all.

"I'm not your god Kristina. I never wanted you to be like me because sometimes I don't even like myself or who I've become. I made you Chancellor because I know you have the potential, that you can be a better Chancellor than I was." Ryoma scoffed. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"It was your decision to live your life like that. I never pushed you to do anything that you didn't like." He felt a hand on his shoulders. He looked up and saw Ohtori's kind face. "I chose Crammer because he has something that you don't. He has the fire in his heart that will empower him to lead all of you. It's not about skills or power. It is about your determination to surpass those better than you, not to be a copy-cat." A hand wiped away the solitary tear that escaped his eyes. "And I'm glad that I chose him because he gave it his all. He didn't do dirty tactics to win; he played with his heart, without fear of failure and defeat. That Kristina is something you do not have." He eyed the girl from head to feet. "Unlike him, you would do anything to win, even if that means betraying all of your friends."

"Ryoma, its ok…that's enough." Ohtori softly said. 'Please….enough.'

Kristina cowered under Ryoma's glance. If could've listened to him and leave but her stupid mouth just won't stop. "If Senior Carlos was here, he would—"she winced at the face Ryoma's eyes narrowed. She started to back away as he came towards her menacingly.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK HIS NAME, BITCH!!!" Ryoma growled. He raised his hand to hit her but Ohtori held him back. "I'm gonna knock you so far down that you'll be landing straight to Loserville Cemetery!"

"Stop now Ryoma!" Ohtori cried as he tried to restrain Ryoma.

The blonde girl was shaking from head to foot. She was sure she'd be slapped unconscious if the tall boy didn't stop her senior.

"You should leave now, McPherson." Nanako said. Her expression was unreadable. "Or else you'd regret coming here for the rest of your life." She took her hand and started to drag her towards the door.

"You show your face here again and I'll make sure you'll kiss that Harvard acceptance goodbye, McPherson!" Ryoma called out. "I'm going to destroy you!" he cried as Nanako pushed Kristina outside.

"THAT'S ENOUGH FOR YOU AS WELL YOUNG MAN!" Nanako bellowed, catching everyone in surprise. Ryoma glared at her before breaking free from Ohtori and storming inside the kitchen. Nanako collapsed on one of the chairs as the boys panicked to help her.

"I'm really sorry." Nanako apologized before accepting the glass of water from Fuji. The smiling tensai shook his head.

"It's ok. It was nerve-wracking but it's ok." He assured the older woman.

Nanako raked her hair with one shaking hand while eyeing the quiet kitchen. "Choutarou…" She murmured.

"Yes Na-chan?" Ohtori answered promptly.

"Can you go and check on my impetuous, little cousin? I'm afraid he would vent out his anger on the cake I just finished doing." She smiled weakly as the taller boy went to do her biding. "And tell him the cake is to be decorated, not destroyed and annihilated ok?" the kids snickered at her comment. "Well I'm glad I can still humor you." She said. She stood up and started to rearrange the messed-up chairs and tables.

"Come now…we still have a party to prepare."

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A/N: cut it….adding the song will make it too long so I'm making it a three-part special. Special because I've always wanted Ryoma to lose control like that. Fufufu….please review!!!!!!!


	13. Making love out of nothing at all

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Making Love Out of nothing at All" by Air Supply. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!). And for the first time, Sylvan and James will be actually characters…not flashbacks or video characters. Oh and they're adept in speaking Nihonggo. Talk about being a linguist.

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Ohtori found Ryoma standing by the mixer with a bowl in hand. He also noticed that the employees were keeping a close eye on him and a good distance away from him as well. It was only Tsubame who seemed brave enough to stay close to him and assist him with his work.

"Ryoma…" Choutarou called. His boyfriend didn't answered and continued was he was doing. "Ryoma…" he called again.

"You shouldn't come in here…" Ryoma said coldly that it made Ohtori stop in his tracks, "…with out the proper outfit." He put off the mixer and went to the table where a carved chiffon cake was placed. "Chiyo, get your Ohtori-san an apron, a pair of plastic gloves and a head cap." He ordered without even looking up from the cake.

The girl promptly helped Ohtori in putting on the white RJ apron, a pair of plastic gloves and a white head cap (more like shower cap) on his head. Once he's geared up, Ohtori went to sit next to Ryoma who was already applying white icing on the cake.

"This cake looks like Tezuka-kun." Ohtori stated as he studied the cake his boyfriend is working on. Tsubame handed him a bowl of blue icing and beckoned him to give it to Ryoma.

"It's Fuji-senpai's request to have it this way." Ryoma replied curtly. He looked up and saw Ohtori holding the blue icing. "May I?" Ohtori gave him the bowl.

They've been quiet for a few minutes as Ryoma applied the blue icing, revealing the Seigaku jersey-inspired cake. Ohtori watched him silently as Ryoma added more colored icing to make it more artistic.

"I'm sorry…" Ryoma suddenly murmured. Ohtori smiled a little and placed a hand around his waist.

"It's ok. Don't worry." he said.

Ryoma bit back the tears that are attempting to escape his eyes. "It's just that I never expected her to do those things. I don't care about the statue or her sucking up to Principal Wartts, I can live with that." He muttered as he gently laid down the flesh icing to start on Tezuka's face. "But what makes me mad is knowing that she betrayed her best friends just to get to the top and that Crammer might to lose his ability to play tennis because of her sneaky deals." A tear finally escaped his eyes.

Ohtori took one deep breath before tugging the younger boy close to him. This earned a few curious glances from the employees but he could only care less about them. What are important is Ryoma and his pain. "Everything's going to be ok." He muttered as he soothed his back. The freshman was unable to hold back the tears anymore. "Don't cry now. Everything will turn out fine."

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Nanako just got off the phone. "Ok, Uncle Jiroh said that the food will be here any minute. Is everything ok now?" she surveyed the store and gave an impressed nod. Everybody pitched in to help finish the decoration.

"Na-chan, why'd you suppose Ryoma acted that way?" Yuuta asked. Nanako could sense that he's really worried about what earlier. She beckoned them to all sit down.

"Yeah, especially when the girl mentioned the name Carlos. He looked like he's about to kill her." Kirihara added.

Tezuka frowned at the question. 'It's because he's—'he reverie was cut off by a soft ringing of a cell phone.

"It's Ryoma's phone. Can you answer it for me, Kirihara-kun?" Nanako asked while pointing at the N93 on the counter.

"Well…Kristina is Ryoma's trusted understudy, more like a right-hand man. He found out that Kristina made arrangements to recruit St. Iseus' star tennis players. I don't know the details but all I know was it was a sly deal. She even manipulated the rule book so that they could join the varsity team. It could've been impossible but Captain Crammer couldn't do anything since her backer was the principal, Mr. Wartts. To avenge their loss, some varsity players of St. Iseus ganged up on Crammer the night before the finals. He got mugged so bad but he insisted in playing. "Nanako sighed. "They won Sectionals but with a heavy price. Ryoma didn't tell me how great the extent of the damage but it is likely possible that Crammer won't be able to play tennis anymore if surgery and treatment failed." She explained.

She looked up and saw Kirihara holding out the cell phone to her. "It's Sylvan."

Nanako took a deep breath before accepting the phone. "Hi there, my little cuddly bear. What made you call?"

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" ne, Ryo-kun…"

" hmmm?"

" why were you so mad about the statue?" Ohtori asked.

The freshman sighed and put down the bowl. " I know that a normal reaction of a person regarding that would be flattery." Golden eyes blinked a couple of times. " but I'm not normal. I've been trying to thwart that proposition for years. for me it felt like they're revering the dead. And I'm still alive and kicking ass, only hundreds of miles away from them."

" ahhh, now I'm beginning to understand you more." Ohtori smiled and placed an arm around his shoulders.

" thanks. It's just that it feels so weird seeing people revere an inanimate version of you. It's like they're already sending you six feet under." Ryoma shivered at the thought. " why can't they just be contented with my living presence?" He looked up to Ohtori, eyes full of innocent confusion.

" each human being has a very complex way of thinking, Ryoma." he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. " they sometimes think that the more they're close to the artifacts with connection to their idols, the more they can be closer to the real person."

It took a few minutes before Ryoma could completely calm down and continue working on the cake. He was already working on the finishing touches like sprinkling stardust candy on the cake (Ohtori almost drooled at the sight of the finish product) and adding two crystal candies to emphasize his glasses.

"Wow…I never thought you'd be this good." Ohtori said proudly as he inspected the cake.

"I can make you one if you like." Ryoma said as he cleaned up. He removed his apron and let two of their employees to transfer Tezuka's cake into a rolling table.

Ohtori beamed at the idea. "Really? You'd do that for me?" he asked, eyes sparkling like starts in excitement.

Ryoma smirked at the childish behavior his boyfriend is sporting. "Sure. Anything for you." Ryoma grab hold of his hand. " let's go."

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Nanako was still on the phone when the door opened and two of Nanjiroh's employees came in with food canisters. Fuji instructed them where to place the food and was the one who signed the delivery slip.

"Oh my god! These smell good!" Aoi said cheerfully as he inspected the food. Kawamura's sushi soon followed with the delivery.

"Wow, it's like we're off to party!" Eiji cheered. The kitchen door suddenly opened and two employees wheeled in Tezuka's cake. Everybody gaped in awe at the realistic cake which looked really like Tezuka.

"My god, it's amazing…" Marui eyed the cake hungrily. "Need sugar…must eat cake now…" he muttered. He was about to slaughter the cake when Sanada held him back. "It's not yours Bunta."

"Wow Tezuka…seems like your O'chibi really captured you." Atobe remarked. 'Argh! This is too much. First Ohtori and now a cake for him especially made by my Ryoma?!' he did his best to hide his irritation.

"I knew I made the right decision commissioning him to do that cake." Fuji wrapped his arms around Tezuka's waist in glee. The said buchou was still in a daze. He was sure that with Ryoma's state earlier, the cake could've been mutilated by now. 'Such detail…I never thought he has this artistic side.' Tezuka mused as he scanned the cake.

The kitchen door opened and out came Ryoma and Ohtori. The smaller boy looked calm, very different from earlier when he looked like he was ready to pounce and maul the next person who comes near him.

"O'chibi!!!! You're so good, nya!!!!" Eiji cried and glomped at the smaller boy.

"Eiji-senpai gerrroff!!!" Ryoma struggled to pry his hyperactive senpai off his body when…

"Oi Echizen!!! Make sure you'll design my cake too!!!" Momo glomped as well. They were busy cooing and annoying Ryoma when Nanako came and beckoned the freshman to the side. They all kept an eye on the two them as they talked in hushed tones at the corner of the shop.

"I asked Sylvan what kind of things they've been doing to Kristina…" Nanako frowned, clearly displeased. Ryoma arched his eyebrow.

"And?"

"Ryoma…tying her up and shoving her inside an unused supplies closet is too much. Don't you thing you're over-doing it a little?"

"I have no control over what they're doing. They're not my puppets you know." Ryoma responded. 'Wow…that was harsh!'

"And not only that… even the ghetto guys are harassing her as well. I think its time you tell them off or this will lead to more trouble." Nanako said firmly. She shoved the phone back to him and waited for him to act.

Ryoma sighed. "You're such a party-pooper Na-chan."

"Do it now or else I'll rat you out to Aunt Rinko and Uncle Jiroh. And you're not the only one who's gonna get into trouble. James and Sylvan will have their share as well." Nanako threatened.

Ryoma scoffed and dialed Sylvan's number.

"Sup?" Sylvan spoke from the other line.

"Nanako wants you to stop or else she'll tell on you." Ryoma snorted as he collapsed on one of the chairs.

The person on the other line sighed. "No use. Got busted already."

Ryoma looked very amused. "Oh really…how much trouble are you in this time?"

Sylvan pouted and hugged his enormous stuffed turtle. "got grounded for two days." He pouted even more when he heard Ryoma snickered. "No more side-trips and what's worst, they took my computer away."

Ryoma was guffawing while Sylvan poured out his frustration. He caught glance of his senpais and they were staring at him like he was a lab rat. "What about Jamie? Don't tell me he got grounded as well." He smiled at Ohtori who smiled back. 'Uncle Warren will never ground Jamie. He's the most tolerant person I know.'

"Got grounded as well and knowing Uncle Warren, it'll only be for a day." Sylvan muttered.

Ryoma was shocked. Never in their history of trouble-making has Uncle Warren grounded Jamie. It was Uncle Warren who saved them from all other impending suspension from his oyaji and Uncle Lorenz. "I cannot believe this. Why?"

"Mom made him. She said James should know that there are certain consequences for his actions." Sylvan stated.

"Damn Beauclaire'…you've got one nasty mother." Ryoma sighed.

"And don't forget my Dad." Sylvan sighed. "But you know that this won't stop us, right?" he said as he pushed up his glasses.

"Of course. I'm not stupid." Ryoma's voice dropped down to a whisper. "I like the concept."

"Don't you realize that maybe, just maybe, Ryoma is suffering from Schizophrenia?" Mizuki told Inui. "He does have a lot of personalities."

"Ii data…"

"I called because I just found out from Ralph that Kristina flew to Japan this morning. Did you two meet?" Sylvan asked. He rolled over his enormous bed. 'I need my computer!' he mentally protested.

"Oh yeah we met and the other guys met her as well, on a not-so-good manner. They swore looked like I was about to kill her earlier." Ryoma reported. He heard Sylvan let out a hearty laugh.

"You should send me a video. Can you rig RJ's security cam for me?"

Ryoma pondered a little on his predicament. 'Nanako will kill me for this. Oh well…' he took a deep breath. " ok…will try to send it to you a.s.a.p. Oh wait, how do you and James stay in touch now that you two are grounded?"

Sylvan stood up and paced the distance from his bed to his window. "We're going primitive, mate. ol' naturale." He said while tugging at the rope line connecting his window to the opposite window through a pulley. In the middle hang a wicker basket.

" ol' naturale?" Ryoma's eyebrows creased. "Oh! The basket…" he muttered.

"Ok, I better go before my sister catches me and rats me out to Mom and Dad." Sylvan finally said. "You know how she is. She's jealous that I get to have all the fun while she razes her brain to the ground in studying."

"Ok…tell Jamie that it's just one day, he'll survive." Ryoma said.

"Oh yeah. There was a strange yet funny bloke who answered your phone earlier." Sylvan quickly added. "I think I said his name was Akaya."

Ryoma's eyes darted to rest upon Kirihara who was looking at him expectantly. "Ok….so?"

"Tell him he's funny. I like him." Sylvan curtly said as a continuous rapt on his door signaled an intruder. "I have to go bye."

With that the line went dead, living Ryoma dumb-founded for a few seconds.

"So? Are they gonna stop harassing her?" Nanako asked him when he returned to the group.

"No use telling on us, cousin. They're already busted and they got grounded." Ryoma said. 'Sylvan likes Akaya-senpai? Mind douche!!!'

"Harassing her? You mean someone is really making her life a living hell back in America?" Oishi asked worriedly.

"Yes there is." Nanako turned back to Ryoma. "And you should be ready as well because you will be grounded for sure."

"Grounded?" Ohtori pouted. "He didn't do anything wrong."

Ryoma scoffed. "There's no use grounding me, Choutarou. It'll be futile locking me in my room where I can just sneak out of the window." He grinned at his cousin who muttered something under her breath. He turned to face Kirihara with a crazy grin on his face.

"What?" Kirihara asked suspiciously. Knowing Ryoma, his smile means something very bizarre.

"Fufufu…" Ryoma snickered. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Ohtori's waist.

"What?" everyone got intrigued by his reaction.

"…my best friend likes you…" Ryoma cast a teasing glance at Kirihara who blushed furiously at the comment. "…he thinks you're funny…"

Hoots and whistles echoed inside the store as they teased Kirihara. The Rikkai regulars took it to heart, urging Kirihara to go for it. If Fuji hadn't opened his eyes and asked for the party to start, they wouldn't stop making fun of the sophomore.

They're sitting arrangement was curiously planned, making Ryoma and Choutarou sit with Fuji, Tezuka, Atobe and Yukimura. Those who knew about the Ryoma and Tezuka (mainly, Ryoma, Ohtori, Atobe and Tezuka) did their best to act civil with each other, not wanting to attract unwanted attention.

As they ate, it was only Fuji, Atobe and Yukimura who were actually trying to engage in a humane conversation. Ryoma almost choked on his Paella when Yukimura brought up the subject regarding his mysterious savior. He gave Kirihara and Yuuta a knowing glance and from Kirihara's expression he knew that his identity wasn't revealed yet.

"Wow so you mean a Good Samaritan actually fixed the operation for you and you never knew who he was?" Ohtori suddenly asked. Ryoma sipped on his red iced tea in silence as he eyed the four. He caught Tezuka and was not surprised to see him snatching glances at him as well.

"Yeah but I reckon Akaya-kun knows who it was but won't tell me. Sooner or later I'll find out who he is." Yukimura said while smiling at Ryoma. "You don't mind if I act this way towards your boyfriend Ohtori-kun, right?" he asked, winking at the sophomore.

Ohtori looked at Ryoma questioningly and the freshman just shrugged.

"He's cute. No one can deny it." Yukimura added.

"Right." Atobe agreed. Their obvious affection towards the freshman made Ohtori cringe inwardly. Fuji, on the other hand, took it on a lighter note while Tezuka tried his best not to glare at the two captains.

Ryoma sighed and noticed that Ohtori's gone a little stiff. 'I better do damage control.' He mused as he placed his hand on Ohtori's lap and caressed him there softly. Ohtori stared at him and Ryoma smiled back, as if telling Ohtori to stop worrying.

'He's assuring me that everything's fine. God I love him…' Ohtori was in heaven as he let his hand entwine with Ryoma's under the table. He smiled back to assure the freshman in return.

There was a slight commotion on the other side of the party as Eiji and Gakuto engaged in a contortionist challenge, trying to see who can bend what the most. Momo was cheering loudly for Eiji while Jirou was on Gakuto's side.

"Seems like they're having fun." Atobe remarked while watching Gakuto as he stretched his leg up high.

"I think it's high time that everybody joins as well." Fuji smiled as he stood up and took control over the microphone Nanako had set-up.

Ohtori, with Fuji gone brought his hand up to the surface to place over Ryoma's shoulders, clearly indicating to the three captains in front of him that Ryoma is his.

"Ok everybody, since we're starting to entertain ourselves, why don't we start with the real festivities." He took a piece of paper, "first up will be Atobe-kun and friends to sing "Wonderful days".

With this, Atobe, Sanada, Kirihara, Sengoku, Oshitari, Kamio and Shinji went up front and sang. They were not bad…well to Ryoma's point of view they were great as a group. Who would've thought cardboards such as Shinji and Sanada have the capability to belt out a note.

Next up was Oishi who did this weird story-telling stint. It wasn't scary at all, contrary to the real essence of the story. They were cracking up their sides when he was done. Good thing was Oishi took it good-naturedly and was even proud that he made Yanagi, another rock, crack up a smile.

All the while Ryoma just sat there, watching everybody have a good time until Fuji called him up front. He stared at them stupidly when he walked up to the microphone.

"I told Mitsu-kun that you are a very good singer so he wanted to request a song." Fuji whispered into his ear.

Ryoma stiffened a bit when he caught Tezuka's eyes. Fuji handed him a piece of paper containing the title of the song he was supposed to sing. He opened it up and was shocked to see what was written in it. 'Oh god…this is our theme song for our first monthsary!' Ryoma's heartbeat raced as he tried to compose himself. "Ne, Buchou this is a hard song." he commented, hoping to ease the anxiety in his heart.

"What's the title of the song, Echizen?" Jirou asked excitedly.

"You can do it. You are an excellent singer!" Momo cheered on.

Ryoma took a deep breath. "May I ask the assistance of my cousin, Nanako and of my senpais, Akaya-senpai and Yuuta-senpai?"

Those three stood up and went to him.

Nanako promptly took her seat by the drums while Ryoma handed Yuuta and Kirihara guitars.

"But Ryoma, we're not ready yet!" Yuuta whispered in outrage as Ryoma shoved a piece of paper containing chords to them.

"Yeah…by god's sake you know I can only play "Jack and Jill" so far!" Kirihara added as he looked at their audience with anxiety.

"You can do this." Ryoma said coolly at his positioned himself by the keyboards.

"Go Ryoma! Show them what you've got!" Choutarou cheered. He was elated when he saw Ryoma beamed back at him.

Tezuka discretely glared at the sophomore. 'He's going to sing OUR song, Ohtori so stop being a pest and shut up!'

"This song is entitled, Making Love Out of Nothing at All as requested by Tezuka-buchou. I'm already apologizing if ever we make a mistake. Thank you." Ryoma said through the microphone.

"How adorable! He knows how to sing and play the piano." Niou said sarcastically. "Tell him to prance around; I wouldn't be shocked if he can." He whispered the last part to Yagyuu who just smirked.

"Aww…he's so cute." Yukimura cooed at the boy. Atobe, Ohtori and Tezuka shot him a glance which the Rikkai Captain just shrugged off.

Ryoma took a few deep breaths as he conditioned himself before starting. 'I don't know what's on your mind Tezuka. I really don't.' his fingers started to get busy and he was relieved that Kirihara and Yuuta were prepared to follow his lead.

_I know just how to whisper, and I know just how to cry;_

_I know just where to find the answers; and I know just how to lie._

_I know just how to fake it, and I know just how to scheme;_

_I know just when to face the truth, and then I know just when to dream._

'Ohh Mitsu-kun you're so sweet.' Fuji clearly mistook Tezuka's intentions. He thought that the song was for him.

'I don't know what you're up to, Tezuka but one thing is for sure, Ore-sama doesn't like it.' Atobe was intently listening to Ryoma. 'But the songs just perfect for Ryoma. He can make certified granite like you melt into a pool of goo.'

"Not bad…not bad at all." Kajimoto muttered to Shinjou.

_And I know just where to touch you, and I know just what to prove;_

_I know when to pull you closer, and I know when to let you loose._

_And I know the night is fading, and I know that time's gonna fly;_

_and I'm never gonna tell you everything I've got to tell you,_

_but I know I've got to give it a try._

'This is how you and Tezuka were before. He's reminding you of what you two had.' Ohtori was sullen. 'Oh Ryoma! He's such a terrible person! He has hurt you in the past and now he's secretly hurting Fuji by trying to get back with you. And I won't let him!'

_And I know the roads to riches, and I know the ways to fame;_

_I know all the rules and then I know how to break 'em_

_And I always know the name of the game._

'Ryoma…this time I'm offering the song to you. I know I wasn't the best lover before…it was partly your fault. God! I don't know why when every time I think about you, I get all confused with my feelings.' Tezuka thought bitterly as he watched his ex-boyfriend sing their heart song soulfully.

_But I don't know how to leave you, and I'll never let you fall;_

_And I don't know how you do it, making love out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all,_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all,_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all,_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all,_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all._

It was bloody communion when all three joined him in the chorus. They never expected it to be this good since they didn't even have time to practice. It was obvious that the two sophomores were having a hard time playing and reading the notes at the same time.

'He's amazing! God the song fits him perfectly! He's quite oblivious about how he affects other people but by then, who cares. He's Ryoma Echizen after all.' Yukimura mused as he stared hungrily at the freshman.

_Every time I see you all the rays of the sun_

_Are streaming through the waves in your hair;_

_And every star in the sky is taking aim at your eyes like a spotlight,_

_The beating of my heart is a drum, and it's lost_

_And it's looking for a rhythm like you._

'Tezuka…I thought I've already forgotten about us but why are you doing this? I thought you've found the love of your life! Why bother with me now when you're already with Fuji-senpai?' Ryoma stared at Ohtori helplessly. The sophomore smiled at him encouragingly. 'No…I'm going stupid to think that you want me back. You're just playing me. No.'

_You can take the darkness from the pit of the night_

_And turn into a beacon burning endlessly bright._

_I've got to follow it, 'cause everything I know,_

_Well it's nothing till I give it to you._

The music escalated into a crescendo while Ryoma's heart fell into his gut when he saw Fuji cuddling with Tezuka. He fought the urge to stop the song and rip the two apart. 'Don't bother with them Ryoma. You're happy with Choutarou right? You swore that having Tezuka back will not taint your love for Choutarou. It's Choutarou you're with now. He's the love of your life.' Ryoma took a deep breath.

_I can make the run or stumble; I can make the final block;_

_And I can make every tackle, at the sound of the whistle,_

_I can make all the stadiums rock._

_I can make tonight forever, or I can make it disappear by the dawn;_

_And I can make you every promise that has ever been made,_

_And I can make all your demons be gone._

'Choutarou rescued your from the dead and brought you back to life. Don't let Tezuka's memory ruin everything.'

'I can be the best that I can be in everyway possible but I just don't understand why when it comes to you, I'm powerless…I don't think I'd be able to let you go Ryoma." Tezuka sighed.

_But I'm never gonna make it without you, Do you really want to see me crawl?_

_And I'm never gonna make it like you do, Making love out of nothing at all._

Ryoma finished the song with a new resolve. He made a promise to himself that he would be happy and he would do nothing to hurt Choutarou. Tezuka is history. Tezuka is with someone else. Choutarou is the present and he is life. 'Carlos and Tezuka could get a life of their own because I'm happy where I am now.'

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love) out of nothing at all_

_(Making love)_

Their applause was deafening yet Ryoma did not care. He went back to his seat and gave Ohtori a peck on the cheek.

"As always, you are amazing." Ohtori whispered into his ear. They ignored the glares and the stares from everyone around them.

"Wow Echizen-kun. I never thought you'd be this good." Atobe said.

Ryoma smirked as he caught Tezuka's gaze. "Anything for someone who has taught me everything.'

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A/N: not a very good chapter for me but I'm sure I can make a good one soon. Don't worry. It's just that I'm busy with school since we will start on our Community Organization soon! Please review!!!!


	14. You made me stronger

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the smallest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "You made me stronger". Regine Velasquez does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Tezuka stiffened at Ryoma's comment. 'Taught him everything? What is he implying?' He broke away from his trance when he felt Fuji slip back next to him.

"He's a tensai, ne Tezuka." Fuji smiled sweetly at the freshman.

"Such talent! I never imagined you to be like this. First, there was tennis, then the cake and now the music?" Yukimura said in awe.

"You are like a box full of surprises, Echizen-kun." Atobe added.

Ohtori looked proudly at his boyfriend. "He's my little Music Man." He said while caressing Ryoma's hair.

"It's funny watching Buchou flirting with that little kid. It's so cute that it's disturbing." Niou commented while watching Yukimura dote on the boy.

"We just have to remind him that Echizen-kun is taken. It won't look very good not only for him but for the whole team." Sanada said worriedly.

An up-beat, tango-like song started blaring from the radio. Soon, Tsubame, Nanako and Chiyo came out in big smiles.

"The girls of RJ would like to render a number for Tezuka-kun as well." Nanako said while winking at Ryoma who glared back. "But we will need assistance from the group. May I call on my **loveable** cousin, Ryoma-sama, Atobe-kun and Kajimoto-kun up front?"

The three looked confused but stepped up as well. They were surprised when Nanako asked them to be their partners for tango/salsa.

"But…" Kajimoto protested.

"Don't worry, I'll do the rest. It's just that our regular partners are off to Island Cove and Wakato-kun blabbed earlier that you're a good ballroom dancer." Tsubame explained.

"This is too easy for Ore-sama." Atobe commented while fingering his hair.

"I know. That's why I chose you.' Nanako smiled at the narcissistic boy. She felt Chiyo fidgeted when Ryoma just grunted and turned his back on them. It was obvious that she hadn't forgotten the mocking stint. "Don't worry Chi-chan. Ryoma is an excellent dancer." She placed an assuring hand on her shoulders. It turned out Chiyo is just a small girl, half an inch smaller than Ryoma, making them the perfect pair.

'It would've been better if Ryoma is my partner but Na-chan would do. This is a good chance for me to awe their pants off, especially those three baboons trying to call My Ryoma their own.' Atobe smiled at the thought as they positioned themselves on the make-shift dance floor.

"Kajimoto can dance?!" they almost cried in horror. Some of them were very amused, some were very disturbed.

"See? I told you. Tell the boy to prance around and surprise, surprise…he can!" Niou whispered to Yagyuu.

"More surprises ne…saa…" Fuji smiled at Ohtori who was equally shocked as well.

The three pairs did their pose and for Ohtori it was quite intimidating to see Chiyo with her arms held by his koibito and her legs up on his waist. The song was "Sway" by the Pussycat Dolls.

"Echizen would probably trip—"Shishido told Gakuto but trailed off when he saw the way Echizen moved at the song started.

There were oohs and ahhs among the crowd that the three tennis players glided across the dance floor, moving fluidly to the music as if they've been dancing with the three girls all their life. They turned, flipped and twisted and still their in time. It was a mystery on how they could move in sync when they don't even have the idea of what to do.

"Relax." Ryoma muttered to Chiyo as they swayed to the beat. The girl was utterly surprised that the freshman had it in him. "We'll improvise." Ryoma told her as they went up front.

"Huh?" Chiyo staggered slightly. Ryoma smirked and suddenly brought her aside. The rest of the dancers looked at them curiously. Nanako smiled and just continued dancing.

"What are they doing?" Kamio asked when they saw Ryoma and Chiyo stepped aside.

"I don't know. Maybe they're tired." Taka answered.

"Is Ryoma ok?" Ohtori asked worriedly when he saw Ryoma flexing his wrists.

"I don't know. Maybe he's hurt." Yukimura answered. To their surprise, the two pairs exited the floor just as the music went crescendo and Ryoma and Chiyo sashayed into the center.

"Oohhh….so that's what it was all about…" Fuji muttered.

They were left hanging in the edge when Ryoma started flipping Chiyo, swinging her off her feet and whatsoever stunt he could think of. It was amazing the way he moved to the sound. It was as if dancing is his life, not tennis.

Soon, the two other pair came back to join them in a fantastic finish. The kids were off their chairs and were hooting, cheering so loud that you could swear the ceiling shook. Ryoma slipped away from them silently to go inside the office and sneak a sip on hardcore margarita. He silently rejoiced as the alcohol burned down his throat and soon felt his brain toning down from the sedative effect of the drink.

"Whew…that I need…" Ryoma muttered as he downed the contents of the glass. He popped in a few breath mints inside his mouth before going back outside to face his fans.

"Where have you been?" Ohtori asked as he wiped the sweat off Ryoma's forehead with a hanky.

"Rest room…" Ryoma muttered, hoping that his boyfriend would not smell any trace of the forbidden drink.

"Ok." Ohtori replied before placing a small peck on his cheek. He continued with his task of ensuring that Ryoma's not soaking with sweat.

"Ore-sama never realized you do ballroom as well." Atobe commented across the table. He looked exhausted but still brilliant.

"Pre-requisites of being an O.A." the freshman muttered.

"o.a.? " Tezuka asked.

"Over-achiever."

Their conversation was cut short when Eiji has gotten hold of the microphone and was planning to re-enact his Nasty Girl stint. Luckily, Gakuto was able to steal the limelight by grabbing hold of the microphone to serenade Oshitari.

"Those two…they're devoted to each other, ne…" Fuji muttered while watching Gakuto.

"What was that saying pertaining to loving somebody and letting go?" Yukimura suddenly asked.

Tezuka cleared his throat, sensing that the topic is not so good for him.

"They say when you love someone, let him go. If he comes back to you, he's yours forever. If he doesn't, he never was." Atobe smirked as if trying to incriminate Tezuka that very moment.

"That's bullshit." Ryoma suddenly said.' Damn! Why do I always get a loose-tongue when I drink?' he mentally scolded himself when the rest of the table occupants stared at him in shock.

"Ryoma…" Ohtori warned.

'I've started it…I better finish it now.' Ryoma took a deep breath before staring back at them head on. "The truth is, if you love someone let him go. If he comes back to you…" he glanced at Tezuka, "…it doesn't mean a damn thing…"

"Why?" Fuji asked, getting interested.

"…because he can always leave you again later knowing you'll take him back." Golden eyes blinked back the hurt that resurfaced from the abyss of his consciousness. "And in the first place, he shouldn't have left you before if he really loves you, right Buchou?"

Tezuka was speechless. It was as if he's been slapped across the face ten times. He fought back the tears that attempted to escape from his eyes. He just replied with a curt nod.

Ohtori looked at Tezuka with amusement shining in his eyes. He knows that it's bad to laugh at other's expense but he's thankful that Ryoma put him in his place. He cast Ryoma a proud look and was very much happy when the freshman smiled back at him.

"Those are very powerful words Echizen-kun." Atobe stated. 'Man that must've hurt so bad, Tezuka-kun. I'm just glad I wasn't in the receiving end of that very fiery comment.'

"Yeah. I never thought you'd be this poetic." Fuji added.

Yukimura on the other hand was just silent, as if studying the intricate scene before him. 'Hmm…I may not be right but hell! It seems like Echizen-kun has a grudge against Tezuka-kun.'

"Oh well…it is a universal truth that hearts are easily broken but it can also be sewn back together by someone who cares," he looked up and got caught in a smoldering gaze with Ohtori. With his heart racing, he continued, " though the scars won't fade, the stitches will always be there to remind you that someone loves you enough to keep you whole." With this, he entwined his fingers with Ohtori. 'Man margarita always makes me a sap. Ch! I hate this…'

"Wow…it looks like that one came from real experience." Yukimura finally said. "You've been hurt before?"

They've waited for the freshman to answer but he just stood up and smirked. "Everybody gets their fair share of pain, Yukimura-senpai." with this, he went up front and snatched the microphone away from Momo, saving everybody from a very excruciating experience.

"Nya O'chibi another treat!!!!" Eiji cheered, having fully recovered from Gakuto's stint earlier.

"Listen up minna-san! The title of the song I'm going to sing now is "You made me stronger" for all of you made me stronger, but there are some who did far more." His gaze shifted to Tezuka. "Here I go…" he said before the music started.

_Is it hard to believe I'm okay?_

_After all, it's been awhile_

_Since you walked away_

_I'm way past crying_

_Over you finding someone else_

"You're my idol now Echizen!" Aoi cheered. "You're a star!" he added.

"Yuck Aoi, you're acting like a girl." Shishido said in disdain. 'And besides, he's not that good.' He pouted before he took a sip from his red tea. He glanced at Ohtori and his frown became more prominent when he saw his doubles partner looking like a love-struck puppy at the kid, alongside with Atobe and Yukimura. Tezuka on the other hand was not watching, as if he's engaged in a world on his own.

_You turned my days into nights_

_But now I see the light_

_And this maybe a big surprise to you_

Sad brown eyes blinked back the tears as he listened to his former boyfriend sing his heart out. He knew this would happen, now that Ryoma's with Ohtori. It was stupid for him to try and get him back when he already has someone. He watched while Fuji and the rest get entranced by him and thought, 'I should've seen this coming.' He pushed up his glasses, 'how can I be such a fool?'

_But you've made me stronger_

_By breaking my heart_

_You ended my life_

_And made a better one start_

_You taught me everything_

_From falling in love_

_To letting go of a lie_

_Yes, you've made me stronger_

_Baby, by saying goodbye_

Ryoma has his eyes glued to their table all the time. He made it sure that no one suspects that he's actually singing to Tezuka. 'I'm better now Kunimitsu. I think it's time that we both move on with our lives and put everything in the past, just like what I did with Carlos. Even he is happy where he is right now…' a hint of sadness flashed across his eyes, 'I hope…'

_If you try to believe I'm not over you_

_Go ahead_

_There's nothing wrong with making believe_

_I know_

_Cuz I used to pretend you'd come back to me_

'For a long time, Ryoma has been hurting and waiting for you to come back to him. Now I know why he made me wait for quite a time. He's actually giving you a chance, Tezuka-san however you did not realize the opportunity.' Ohtori turned his attention to the said captain. 'It was very hard for me to watch him do that to himself every single time. Don't worry. I'll take care of him now. I'll make sure I won't make the same mistake you did.'

_But time has been such a friend_

_Brought me to my senses again_

_And I have you to thanked_

_For setting me free_

'I can sense he's fully recovered from the pain you gave him Tezuka-kun. Your foolishness made him like that. And I'll make sure he'll be 100 fine once I've snatched him away from Ohtori. None of you will be able to hurt or take him away from me.' Atobe said in earnest while he watched Ryoma from the rim of his glass. 'You will be mine soon Ryoma. I don't know about Shishido but this will be damn over only if I'm already not Atobe Keigo.'

_Cuz you've made me stronger_

_By breaking my heart_

_You ended my life_

_And made a better one start_

_You taught me everything_

_From falling in love_

_To letting go of a lie_

_Yes, you've made me stronger_

_Baby, by saying goodbye_

'Jesus Christ! Now I get it!' his realization made him smile. 'I bet Tezuka is Echizen-kun's ex-boyfriend who left him for Fuji.' He carefully snatched a glance at Fuji who seemed oblivious to the tension in their table. 'And bless my soul, I think Fuji doesn't have any idea about it. My Tezuka…you're so evil to do that to both of them.'

_Think again_

_Don't feel so sorry for me, my friend_

_Oh, don't you know_

_I'm not the one at the losing end_

'I've never felt so light before. Maybe doing this is the right thing after all.' Ryoma mused as a certain warmth flooded back into his body. 'I should've done his a long time ago. It would've made everything easier for Choutarou. Way to go, Ryoma…you're growing up.'

_Cuz you've made me stronger_

_By breaking my heart_

_You ended my life_

_And made a better one start_

_You taught me everything_

_From falling in love_

_To letting go of a lie_

_Yes, you've made me stronger_

_Baby, by saying goodbye_

'I'm really sorry…Ryo-chan…'

'I'm really sorry Tezuka-san but I won't give him up…'

'I'm sorry for all of you but Ore-sama will get what he wants.'

'What a very complicated situation…yet it's so enticing that it made me want to join the fun more.'

'Saa…what's going on?'

_Yes, you've made me stronger_

_Baby, by saying goodbye_

The cake shop was filled with thundering applause once more. They couldn't help but marvel at the freshman whom from the very start turned their worlds upside down.

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Ohtori followed Tezuka to the restroom. 'I think it's the right thing to do.' he thought as he locked the door. Tezuka was currently washing his face by the sink.

"What do you want?" Tezuka asked without even looking up.

Ohtori's heart was beating so fast as he approached the Seigaku captain. "I…" he nearly backed away when Tezuka turned around and glared at him. " I just want to tell you that you don't have to worry about Ryoma." he swallowed hard. "I'm going to take very good care of him."

Tezuka couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'He's a good guy. Now I've noticed why Ryoma fell for him.' he sadly thought. He walked past the sophomore and turned the knob.

Ohtori held his breath as Tezuka opened the door slightly.

"I understand…" sharp brown eyes softened a little. "Don't hurt him. If you do otherwise I would make you pay so dearly you wouldn't know what hit you." With this, he went out of the restroom.

Ohtori collapsed against the sink, letting out a sigh of relief. 'God Tezuka-san sure is intimidating in and out of the court.' He buried his face in his hands. 'Doesn't matter. Now all I have to worry about is Atobe-buchou and his scheming plans.' He turned and stared at his reflection on the mirror. 'Oh and Yukimura-san as well…'

"Damn Ryoma, why do you have to be so cute and adorable?!" he muttered under his breath before exiting the room as well.

Unbeknownst to them, a shadow shifted inside one of the cubicles; someone other than them already knew the truth…

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The days went by uneventful. Ryoma was able to act normally with Tezuka around since the party, thus making him amicable. Everything would've been perfect but it seems like Fate enjoys making him miserable.

A blonde kid walked into Seigaku. His steps are fast and sure. He has a smirk on his face like a sinister cat who has found its dinner.

The Seigaku Tennis Club is busy with its training especially for Ryoma and Eiji who were chosen to be part of the Japanese Team for the Invitational Cup. The other regulars are occupied with their individual training as well since Nationals is just a few months away. What they didn't expect was Horio fleeing towards them.

"Echizen! Echizen!" he called out.

Ryoma looked very annoyed since his training was interrupted by the blabbering Horio. 'Argh! What now?' "What do you want?" he asked.

"There's a blonde kid who's terrorizing kids out there! He said that we better take him to Echizen Ryoma or he'll do something to us!" Horio spat out.

"Do what?" Momo asked curiously. His game with Taka was interrupted as well.

"You're interrupting Training, Horio-kun." Tezuka walked towards them.

"I don't know. He said the last part in English!" Horio looked very distressed.

"**Ahh…I think I've found what I've been looking for.**" Someone spoke from behind them. They turned around a saw a blonde kid, wearing sleeves shirt and carrying a red tennis bag. They saw the kid smirked and went inside the courts.

"**I'm sorry. But outsiders are not allowed to get inside the tennis courts.**" Tezuka said in perfect English that made everyone, except Ryoma of course, stare up to him in awe. The boy stopped in his tracks.

"Oh I'm sorry. I thought it was ok." His eyes flickered maliciously at everyone one of them. "I'm hoping you could show me where Echizen Ryoma is." He said.

"I'm here. What do you want?" Ryoma stepped up front, meeting the stranger's glare.

"I thought he doesn't speak Japanese." Eiji muttered to Oishi.

"Oh forgive me for being rude, "more of the Japanese kids snorted, "my name is Kevin Smith, a member of the All-American Tennis Team."

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Ohtori accidentally missed his Scud Serve.

"What's wrong Ohtori-kun?" Sakaki-sensei asked.

"Nothing…" Ohtori replied. He stared at his palm before taking another ball. 'What was that feeling? I don't like it…I hope everything's ok at Seigaku.' He mused as he clenched the ball. "Here I go, Hiyoshi-kun. I'll put my soul into this shot!"

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Everybody, except Ryoma, still hasn't recovered from what happened earlier. They were even amazed that Ryoma was able to shrug the American kid off like nothing happened.

Flashback

"_I want to play you, Ryoma." Kevin announced. _

_Ryoma's eyes narrowed when he heard his name. "I don't know you. And I don't want to play." He said firmly. _

_Kevin's eyes flashed in anger. "You don't know me? I think you better ask your father if he remembers the name Smith." He walked lazily towards the Seigaku freshman. "But that's not my main concern. I said, I want to play you."_

"_Echizen, don't fall for it." Fuji muttered to him. His eyes were wide opened and were staring daggers at Kevin. _

"_Who said I would?" Ryoma just glared back at the boy. _

"_You won't play me? Aww…it's going to be fun." He mockingly pouted. "And besides, I know who you really are Echizen Ryoma." Ryoma's eyes began to constrict at his words. "I've researched everything about you, your life in US, and the people you hang out with…" Kevin smiled ruefully, "even those things that you did." _

_Silence filled the tennis court. _

"_Go ahead…say it." Ryoma challenged. "I don't give a damn. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not that person anymore." With this, the freshman pushed past the intruder to go into the clubroom_

_It took a couple of seconds before the rest of them could react. _

"_Very well, I'll see in the Invitational Cup then." With this, Kevin walked out of their courts and disappeared from the view._

End of Flashback

"My…Echizen is indeed a box…" Inui started.

"…full of surprises…" Taka continued.

"…and mystery…"

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A/N: HA!!!...i don't know what I'm doing….oh well. Please review!!!!!!!


	15. Gemini

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Gemini". Sponge Cola does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

WARNING!!!!: ADULT CONTENT!!!!! YEAH!!!! This chapter has LIME in it!!!!!

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It was a week after Kevin's visit that Ryoma and Ohtori finally got the chance to hang out together, without any annoying interruptions from their friends. By that time, Ohtori was slightly oriented to the Echizens' lifestyle. He had fun watching Karupin chase Nanjiroh around the temple when he attempted to bag the cat and hang it upside down. Of course, Ryoma did a great deal to make him fail and it was very amusing to see the cocky freshman snickered while his father suffered the revenge of the said feline.

"Oi Shounen, stop…laughing at…your old man…will ya?!" Nanjiroh panted when Karupin finally left him alone and sashayed into her master's arms.

"You should not treat Karupin like that. Remember what you read in one of Jamie's comic book." Ryoma smirked. "You might find yourself receiving the impact of Karupin's gigantic paws in the near future." He felt a certain satisfaction when he saw Nanjiroh's face ashen.

"Oi Choutarou, tell your boyfriend not to talk to his old man like that." Nanjiroh turned to Ohtori who was just silently watching them with a smile on his face.

"Huh?" he snapped out of his reverie. "Oh yeah….Ryo-kun, don't talk to Echizen-san like that." He gently ruffled Ryoma's dark hair.

"Nah…don't call me that anymore. Since you're Shounen's boyfriend, call me Ji-san ok?" he winked at the Hyotei regular. "Ouch!" he yelped when Ryoma swatted him gently with a racket.

"Stop flirting with my boyfriend." He took Ohtori's hand and pulled him up. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're going inside." He said before dragging his boyfriend away.

"Wait up you two!" Nanjiroh called.

"What?" Ryoma snapped.

"What is it, Ji-san?" Ohtori asked politely.

Nanjiroh caught up with them and started a long dialog.

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Inui was checking out a few plants to use as ingredients to his new juice when his phone rang.

"Inui here."

"Sadaharu…can we meet up?" Yanagi's voice rang in his ears.

"Sure…what is this about?" he asked, gathering the samples he took.

"Echizen's eyes…and more information about the mystery clouding around him. Interested?" Yanagi asked.

Inui's glasses flashed in excitement. "You don't know how much…"

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"What do you mean you're leaving?" Ryoma pouted. They were seated inside the living room. They just got off the phone when his mother and it was indeed confirmed that Nanjiroh and Rinko are leaving for US.

Ohtori smiled at his childish behavior. 'He's cute when he pouts like that.'

"The PTA officials are going to have a meeting regarding the investments that we made on Chilton. Since I am an officer, I have to go and your mother, as the PTA's legal counsel, has to go as well." Nanjiroh explained.

"So…Ryo-kun and Nanako will be left to for two days, am I correct?" Ohtori asked.

Nanjiroh was silent for a while and that made Ryoma nervous.

"What?" Ryoma asked.

"Well, Nanako's coming with us." Ryoma frowned. "She received a courtesy call from Dream Theatre." The father finished saying.

"Dream Theatre?" Ohtori asked, getting confused.

"Nanako's a former circus star. She broke her arm two years ago that's why she quit and went to college instead." Ryoma told him.

'Oh…' Ohtori nodded. 'Wow…waits until I tell Gakuto this! He'll be psyched out!' a thought then came across his mind. "I know…he can stay with me!" he announced cheerfully.

Nanjiroh smiled at his enthusiasm. "I've thought about that earlier and called your father. It would've been ok but he told me that he and your mother with your granny will be going to Osaka for some ancestral family meeting. And since you can't absent yourself from school, you'd have to stay home alone too." He said.

"Really? They haven't told me about that." Ohtori said. 'Nee-san is in an off-town convention and she'll be out for two days too.' He mentally added.

"So what's going to happen now?" Ryoma asked.

"Well…here's what we came up with…"

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Inui found Yanagi seated outside a local coffee shop. He casually approached his childhood friend.

"Ohayou…"

"Ohayou, Sadaharu." Yanagi greeted back as his friend took a seat in front of him.

"So…what is it that you've wanted to tell me?" Inui asked after he placed an order.

Yanagi took out his laptop and shifted his chair to sit next to Inui. "Look here…I've been doing a few research regarding Echizen's strange eyes and here's what I've got." He said as he let Inui read his output.

"Are you telling me that it's scientifically possible for a person to have his eyes and iris do that?" Inui muttered in disbelief as he gave his friend's data a quick scan.

"These are just theories. Although we know that the pupil could constrict due to exposure to concentrated beam of light but it usually retains its shape." The Rikkai Data man pinched the bridge of his nose. "And I presumed that the Echizens didn't want to publicize their son's unique ability, research material is very limited. But take a look at this." He typed a few words. "I've found an unofficial Chilton-related website and it contains profiles of Echizen and his friends."

Inui cleared his throat. "That's not a Chilton-related site, Renji. That's a fan site solely dedicated to Echizen-kun and his friends."

Yanagi shrugged of Inui's comment and continued clicking. "Here, take a look at this." He said.

Inui leaned in to read the entry.

"It says there that Echizen does his eye-thingy whenever he is irritated, angry or just plain hostile to anyone who approaches him. They said that his eyes mimic that of a lynx, that's the reason why he earned the same title from his schoolmates." Yanagi explained.

"So I was right when I said it was a defense mechanism…" Inui muttered.

"I don't think he's using it merely for defense." Yanagi scoffed.

Inui sighed at his friend's stubbornness. He took command of the laptop and surfed through the entire net.

"Hey look…Echizen and this Juan Carlos De Vera seemed very close, don't you think?" he asked as he scanned the pictures posted. All of it looked like stolen shots of Ryoma and Carlos. He was about to clicked on "The TRUTH" when the webpage suddenly went blank.

"What happened?" he asked Yanagi.

"I don't know…maybe…oh shucks! Maybe we've stumbled upon a virus." He groaned and started to estimate the damage. However, his laptop seemed just fine except the fact that they couldn't get through the same website again even if they've tried every trouble-shooting know-how they have.

"It's useless…maybe the site crashed and won't be up for a few days." Inui told his friend.

Yanagi sighed and turned off his laptop. "Yeah….maybe you're right. I'll try again tomorrow."

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Sylvan pouted as he watched what was going on in his monitor. His suspension was over days ago and he got his state-of-the-art computer back. He shut it down after a few minutes and began pacing to and fro his room.

His reverie was disturbed when his N93 phone rang.

"I've taken care of the website. You can call McPherson and check if her computer blew up." he took his coat and went out of his room. "Thanks Anika. Make sure she receives my gratitude and make sure it sticks." He raked a hand through his wavy locks, ignoring the confused glanced from his older sister. "No…I'm not telling Ryoma yet. We can just breathe easy now that we have every unofficial Unspeakable fan site destroyed." He mounted on his ATV (All-terrain Vehicle) and started its engine. "Thanks. See you tomorrow." he drove off towards James' house.

It took a minute to get to the Thorrington Mansion and he wasted no time and went directly to James' work room. He found his blonde BFF starting on a new canvass.

"Ease up with the artistry, James Royd Thorrington." He suddenly spoke up. His surprise visit made James yelp and almost drop his paint brush.

"Sylvan Beauclaire'! How many times do I have to tell you to never sneak up on me when I'm in my sanctuary?" James glared at his friend before turning his attention back to his painting.

Sylvan snorted and snatched the paint brush away from him.

"No!!! Argh!!!! You're impossible!" James cried in frustration, bitch-mode and drama queen streak in check.

"I said…" Sylvan's eye narrowed. "…ease up. We need to meet up with Xavier at Winfrey St." he dropped James' paint brush back into its holder. "The war's not over." He tossed a jacket to his friend. "We're going hunting…"

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Ryoma and Ohtori are out on the streets, making their way to Ohtori's house to get his things.

"Are you sure?" Ohtori asked for the 3rd time.

"Choutarou…" Ryoma's eyes narrowed, "…ask me again and I'll ask Monkey King to baby-sit me instead." He cracked a smile when he saw Ohtori's face ashen. "Or maybe Rikkai's captain. It might be a long ride but I'm sure Yukimura-san will make it worth his while."

"Ryoma!!!" Ohtori pouted and stomped his feet. "Like I would let them get near you, Cat-eyes! Over my dead body!"

Ryoma shook his head and took Ohtori's hand. "You're really cute when you're jealous." His eyes glinted in innocence.

"That's not nice Ryo-kun. I could only imagine what they'll do to you when you're alone." Ohtori whined.

"Ch! Remember what you did to me the day I got my piano back?" Ryoma winked at him, making Ohtori blush.

"Uh…" Ohtori stammered, "That was an honest-to-God expression of love Ryoma." he gently tugged the freshman to look up to him. "And they'll probably molest you, that's what I'm afraid of." He said his face sobering up. His frown became more prominent when he heard Ryoma chuckle a little. "Why are you laughing?"

Ryoma's eyes gleamed in mischief as he stared to pull Ohtori. "And you're not even thinking of doing it yourself?" he teased. His smile turned into a smirk when he saw Ohtori flushed scarlet.

'Damn Ryoma you love hitting a nail, don't you?' he smiled awkwardly. "Hey…I'm a growing boy with hormones to tend to." He said shyly. Ryoma gave out a hearty laugh and gave him a naughty smile.

"I know…"

They were walking in amicable silence when they came across Inui and Yanagi.

"Ohayou Inui-senpai, Yanagi-senpai." Ohtori greeted politely.

"Yo…what brings the two data experts to this side of the town. " Ryoma asked. 'More like two ultra nerds.' He smirked at the thought.

Inui turned to his friend. "Nothing….just gathering data." He said. '…gathering data about you, Echizen. Would you be cooperative and give us what we want?' he wanted to voice out loud but held himself back.

"And the two of you?" Yanagi asked.

"We're going to pick up some of my things." Ohtori blushed a little, remembering their conversation earlier. "I'm going to baby-sit this little rascal for a while." He winked at Echizen who smirked.

"Baby-sitting?" Inui asked. 'Hmmm…interesting…'

"Ryoma's parents and Nanako will be flying to US. They have some matters to attend to so that leaves Ryoma without company." Ohtori replied.

"Maa…I see…" Yanagi muttered. 'Hmm…then why are they going to get Ohtori's things? Isn't Ryoma going to spend the days with the Ohtori family if he's the one without company at home? Hmmm…'

Ryoma noticed that the two were starting to analyze things so before they get to a conclusion, he should be at least 30 yards away from them. "Ok…we gotta go. Have a lot of things to do." he tugged at Ohtori's hand. "Ja senpai-tachi!" with this, they were off.

Inui and Yanagi were left in a daze at the speed of their departure.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Inui asked his friend.

Yanagi arched a brow while smiling. "Yeah…"

"They're going to spend two days…"

"…with only the two of them…"

"…at the Echizen residence…"

"…ii data…"

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Rinko was worried…yeah she was. She knows for a fact that Nanjiroh can be as dense as a rock sometimes; that is her problem as of the moment. 'I have no doubt about Choutarou-kun's sense of self-control but Ryoma…oh god…'

"Are you sure about this?" she asked Nanjiroh who was seated across the table, busy finalizing their plans for the restaurant.

"Of course. No one can take care of him better than Choutarou-kun himself." Nanjiroh didn't even look up from his paperwork.

"Why don't we just let Ryoma spend the weekend with Momo? They're friends, right?" Rinko sighed. 'I'm not naïve to think that nothing happened between him and Kunimitsu…'

"And leave Choutarou-kun all alone in their house?" Nanjiroh looked at her skeptically. "Ne, Rinko why are you so worried?"

Rinko took a long sip from her mug of coffee to delay. "Don't mind me…I'm just worried for the boys, that's all."

Nanjiroh shook his head. "You worry too much…"

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It was Sunday afternoon, Ryoma and Ohtori stopped by a grocery store after they did a send off in the airport.

"What do you want for dinner, Chou-chou?" Ryoma asked, using Ohtori's new nickname.

The taller boy blushed at the new term of endearment that Ryoma picked up from Nanako. "You're gonna cook for me?" he asked, a bubbly feeling emerging from the depths of his heart.

"Yeah. Anything you want. It's my treat." Ryoma said while filling their cart with food products.

"Ok…what's your specialty?" he asked while inspecting the meat products. Ryoma bought a pound of ground beef.

"Pasta…whether you want it Japanese or French or Spanish or Italian style I think I can rig it." he said. "Please pass me a bag of cherry tomatoes." He asked while pointing at the tomatoes next to the tall boy. He expertly tossed a bag of shiny red tomatoes to the boy. "Thanks."

"Ok…pasta then…you'll need this?" he pointed at the manufactured pasta products.

"Nah…" Ryoma shook his head. "I do the pasta myself. Can you please pass me a bag of flour?" his lips quirked up a little when he saw Ohtori pathetically stared at the bags of flour.

"You never went to the grocery with your mom, correct?" he asked. He went next to his boyfriend.

"Once…but she made me watch the cart while she scours the place. I never got the chance to really experience it." Ohtori pouted. He soon felt Ryoma's hand clasping his. He looked up curiously at the boy only to be drawn into those big golden orbs,

"Chou-chou, can you please get me one white bag of flour please?" he tried his best to imitate James' cute puppy look and congratulated himself inwardly when he saw the results.

Ohtori snapped out of his dreamy state when they've reached the cashier to pay for their food. He immediately took out his wallet but Ryoma stopped him even before he could get the money out. The younger boy held out his debit card and a special ID. They he glanced up to his boyfriend and saw that he was pouting he whispered, "it's easier this way. We'll split up the bill at home, ok?"

Ohtori felt relieved at the statement. He wasn't comfortable letting his freshman koibito pay for everything they consume. He's the senpai…he should take very good care of his kohai…especially if that certain kohai is his boyfriend.

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The minute they arrived at Ryoma's house, the freshman already had him busy unpacking his things while he started on their dinner. After unpacking, he went down to help the freshman. When he got inside the kitchen, he felt a warm feeling emerging from his heart when he saw Ryoma, wearing a fruity apron and whistling while kneading the dough.

'If I'm able to stop Buchou's scheming and Yukimura-san's as well, I think I will be seeing more of this scene in the future.' He smiled at the thought, totally agreeing to the idea of being with Ryoma until the end of his days. He slowly crept behind the small boy and circled his arms around his tiny waist.

"Will you look at this, the cocky Seigaku freshman is cooking dinner, for me." Choutarou whispered into his ear, making Ryoma shiver involuntarily.

Ryoma blushed at the comment. "Come and help me with the other ingredients Chou-chou. I'm nearly finished with the pasta dough." He said with a voice so soft that it'd break your heart not hearing it again.

The two started to work together on their dinner but the work turned into play time with Ohtori accidentally opened the lid of the blender and some of the Marianara sauce shoot up to hit Ryoma on the face. The brunette got back at him by showering the tall boy with the excess flour, making his light gray hair almost white. That started the food fight. Ohtori was mesmerized by the sound of Ryoma's laughter. He has heard him chuckle, snicker and laugh menacingly but not like this. His laughter is so pure like innocence itself. After five minutes, both of them are sporting food particles that seemed unrecognizable, seated in front of the oven and waiting for their lasagna to be cooked.

Ryoma looked up at Ohtori who was still out of air from laughing too hard. He smirked when a though came to him. "Ne, Chou-chou…" he tugged his tall boyfriend to look down to him.

"What is it?" Ohtori sifted on his rotating stool to face the freshman only to find himself stunned when Ryoma's tongue darted out and licked the corner of his lips.

"Mmm…it's the only spot on your with a pure M sauce." Ryoma smirked at Ohtori's flushed face. How would've thought that such small gesture could rock one's world.

He didn't back down when Ohtori closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a fiery kiss. Somehow it is different. Their previous kisses were down-right toe-tingling but now their kiss is hungry and urgent, as if it's trying to pacify the burning sensation that arises from within them. Every time them lips meet and tongues tangle felt like fire searing their flesh and they both needed something to appease it.

'What am I doing? I can't seem to stop…' Ohtori mused as Ryoma's lithe body molded against his at he lifted Ryoma to sit on the counter top. His body seemed to have a mind of its own as his hands started to feel every contour his koibito's body, making Ryoma arch to his touch and moan into his lips. 'I don't understand but this feels right…' that was his last thought before his hands slowly crept underneath Ryoma's shirt to feel his heated skin for the first time. Ryoma couldn't help but gasp at the contact. The point Ohtori's lips lingered down his jaw and are now attacking his sensitive neck.

"C…Chou…" Ryoma breathed his name and that fueled Ohtori's desire more as he nipped at the creamy skin of Ryoma's neck while his hands caress his washboard abs.

"Mmm?" the older boy murmured against his heated flesh, hands slowly creeping up his torso.

'TING!!!'

Both of them immediately stopped when they're doing and stared at the oppressive kitchen appliance, the oven. Their dinner is done.

Ohtori was still panting from their make-out session. He broke off from his daze when he heard Ryoma chuckled. "What's so funny?" Ohtori asked.

"Nothing." Ryoma brushed off the hair off Ohtori's forehead and planted a chaste kiss on it. "I think we both need a shower." He said as Ohtori helped him off the counter top. "And put something nice on, ok?" He ordered while gently pushing the taller boy towards the door.

"Why?" Ohtori titled his head to look at him.

"We never got the chance to celebrate our first monthsary due to the events that occurred these past weeks.' he smirked. " I think it's time that we give ourselves a little treat."

"Right." Ohtori agreed. He suddenly yelped when Ryoma slapped his behind. "H-hey!"

"Move! The bathroom is at the right side of your room." he said.

When Ohtori was gone, Ryoma immediately took a shortcut to the music room via the laundry shoot. When he got there, he started to arrange their romantic candle-lit dinner. He's been working on the room all morning and forbid anyone to go inside.

It only took him roughly five minutes to finish in the bathroom and put on a decent shirt and coat. He wanted to be ready before Ohtori so that he could set up the food. He sprayed on his favorite scent and slipped a familiar looking tube inside the pocket of his coat, basing on what happened earlier, he intends to finish it. And lastly before going out of his room, he snatched the white velvet box he's been hiding in his closet. "Chou-chou's gonna love this." He muttered to himself before leaving the room.

Ohtori was nervous as hell. Their "little" intimate session earlier already shook him to the core and now, he's a wreck. 'It's our first official date with no chaperones and pesky friends. And I don't even know if I look ok!!!!' he sighed in frustration as he checked his reflection.

"Chou-chou…are you done?" he heard Ryoma called.

"In a sec!" Ohtori called back as he fixed his turtle-neck. When he finally gave up, he snatched the small rectangular box from his bed and tucked it inside his coat.

"Ahh there's my dashing prince." Ryoma cooed when he walked out of his room. 'He looks delicious enough to eat.' He added mentally as he scanned his boyfriend's image from head to foot. The white cotton turtle-neck shirt matched with his gray coat and pants. The silver cross glinted under the faint light.

"Too many praises, Ryoma." he blushed hard. "You look good too." He said. He saw Ryoma beckoning him to get level with him so he did, surprised that Ryoma reached out and fixed the turtle-neck for him. "Thanks." He said, Ryoma's scent filling his system.

"De nada. Ne Chou-chou, do you trust me?" he asked. Ohtori gazed deeply into his golden eyes. The boy smiled when his boyfriend nodded. He took out a white silk scarf and used it to blindfold him.

"What's this for?" Ohtori asked, anxiety catching up on him. He let Ryoma take his hands and gently coaxed him to start walking.

"You'll see. Now trust me and I'll take you there…"

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Shishido has been trying to contact Ohtori since morning. He kept contacting his partner's cell phone, afraid that he might disturb a family activity by calling the landline, but there was no reply. Soon, he gave up and dialed Ohtori's home number.

"Come on…pick up." Shishido muttered as the phone kept on ringing until he got the answering machine.

"Thank you for calling the Ohtori Residence." Ohtori-san's voice echoed in his ear. "I do apologize for the inconvenience but we're out of town right now…"

"Out of town? But Choutarou said he has a major test tomorrow." Shishido wondered out loud.

"…we won't be back until Tuesday evening…"

"So he'll miss the test?"

"…our son, Choutarou is spending the weekend in the Echizen Residence…"

"WHAT?!?!?!?!" Shishido cried in disbelief. 'This is not happening!' he mentally panicked. He wasn't able to pay attention to the rest of the message and found himself listening to the beep. He sighed and placed the phone back in its cradle. "Fuck!" he cursed out loud.

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"Please wake me up, Ryoma. I think I'm still dreaming…" Ohtori muttered while staring around the music room. there were glow-in-the-dark objects attached to the ceiling, the glass doors were wide open to let the gently summer breeze in and in the middle where they are seated was a low table covered with a nice piece of cloth surrounded by dozens of pillows in silk, in the middle is a vase full of fragrant flowers that perfumed the whole room, two candles, their dinner expertly placed on elegant plating and most of all, beside him is the angel of his life, Ryoma.

"Come now," Ryoma pinched his cheeks lightly, "or your food will grow cold." He said.

They finished their food quietly, as if content with the presence of the other. They came down to the kitchen to have some dessert (imagine them in their suits and wolfing down a pint of ice cream) and to wash their dishes. After cleaning up the kitchen and making sure that the house is secured, they went back up to the music room and laid down on the pillows while watching the ceiling change it's color thanks to Ryoma's sixties lamp shade (the one with liquid, psychedelic thingy).

"Thank you very much, koibito. It was a blast." Ohtori muttered into Ryoma's hair. The freshman groaned, not wanting to be disturbed from his relaxing position. He was half-sprawled on top of the sophomore. "Wait…" he suddenly said, causing Ryoma to look up form his position. Ohtori took out the box inside his coat and gave it to the younger boy.

"What is this?" Ryoma asked, sitting up while staring at the box.

"Go ahead, open it."

Golden eyes widened in awe when he opened the lid. Inside was a silver key-chain of a cat, a cat that looks very much like Karupin with glowing yellow crystals for its eyes. The words, "My Cat-eyes" were engraved at the back. "Wow…" Ryoma breathed while studying the ornament.

"You like it?" Ohtori asked. Oh how much he wanted to snap a picture of Ryoma right now. The boy looked like a four-year old boy, receiving his gift for Christmas.

"This is gorgeous." Ryoma looked up to him with a dreamy look on his face. The freshman suddenly pounced at him and showered his face with kisses. "Thank you Chou-chou. I love it." he said.

"I'm glad." Ohtori replied. He was curious though when Ryoma broke away from his embrace.

"I have something for you too." Ryoma said and reach out under the table. Ohtori watched breathlessly as the freshman produced a white velvet box. "Here, open it."

Ohtori took the box and slowly pulled at the red ribbon. His fingers were shaking when he lifted the lid and gasped when he revealed its content. "Oh god…" he muttered as he took out a small wooden violin. "Oh my…" he was amazed by the detailed design.

"Open it." Ryoma said.

Ohtori found a button at the side and pushed it gently. The upper half of the violin snapped open and it revealed its true essence: a picture frame. Inside was a picture. Soon it was illuminated by Ryoma's cell phone and he marveled at it. It was a picture of Ryoma, wearing all-black attire while seated up on a trapeze. What made the picture extra-ordinary were Ryoma's white wings.

"Like it?" Ryoma asked.

"Oh Ryoma…this is so beautiful." Ohtori gasped. The freshman reached in and pushed another button. Soon a song was aired and Ohtori realized that it was the song Ryoma sang during their first meeting. What made it more special was its Ryoma's voice, not the original artist's.

"It has a built in MP3 player with the songs I recorded myself." He said proudly.

"Oh Ryoma…this is too much." Ohtori said while staring at the mini-violin and back to his boyfriend.

"Well I figured since I've been really moody these past weeks, I think this could help you relax." Ryoma said. Ohtori was left without words so he pulled the freshman towards him with their lips meeting in the process. Ryoma moaned as their kiss turned more urgent.

"So…where were we?" the boy asked, winking at the sophomore. The latter just smiled and tugged his down for another searing kiss as they entangle their bodies with the satin sheets. A new song was being aired form his mini radio.

_Come a little closer_

_Flicker in flight_

_We'll have about an inch space_

_But I'm here I can breathe in_

_What you breathe out_

Soon their clothes lay in a discarded heap as they drank in the heady passion of their love. Ryoma shuddered when Ohtori's lips nipped at his neck, making his arc his whole body against the sophomore, wanting to feel more heat, more flesh as they immersed themselves in the fires of desire.

_Let me know if I'm doing this right_

_Let me know if my grip is too tight_

_Let me know if I can stay all of my life_

_Let me know if dreams can come true_

_Let me know if this one's yours too_

Ryoma nearly cried in ecstasy when Ohtori took him in his mouth, sending bouts of electric shock throughout his body. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists as he let Ohtori's skillful mouth work him, until his writhing under his mercy.

"Chou….please…I need you…" Ryoma groaned, his hips arching up to feel more of his lover. "Ohhhhh…c-chou…."

_Cause I see it_

_And I feel it_

_Right here_

_And I feel you right here_

Ohtori slowly went back up Ryoma's body, planting butterfly kisses on every flesh exposed to him. He lingered on his belly button, tickling it with his tongue until he traced the expanse of his chest, paying more attention to his nipples, making Ryoma shudder and groan underneath him.

"Tell me what you want, Ryoma…" he muttered against the tortured skin of his neck.

Ryoma moaned loudly as their erections rubbed against each other, sending sheer delight to their bodies. "y-you….please…"

_The vacuous right_

_Steps aside to give meaning_

_To Gemini's dreaming_

_The moon on its back_

_And the seemingly_

_Veiled room's lit_

_By the same star_

Ryoma handed him the tube. Soon he gasped loudly when he felt Ohtori's slick fingers entered him. It was painful, given that it's been a month since he had sex, but it soon subsided with Ohtori's pleasurable ministrations and soothing words as he prepared the younger boy.

"Ahh…yes…" Ryoma moaned as Ohtori kept hitting his prostate. His succeeding moans were muffled when Ohtori's mouth captured his while his hand pushing his legs wider as he prepared to enter Ryoma.

_Let me know if I'm doing this right_

_Let me know if my grip is too tight_

_Let me know if I can stay all of my life_

_Let me know if dreams can come true_

_Let me know if this one's yours too_

Ryoma closed his eyes when he felt the burning sensation as Ohtori slowly entered him. He felt tears escaped his eyes as he was stretched to accommodate the older boy.

"Are you ok?" Ohtori asked Ryoma breathlessly, summoning all his self control to keep him from hurting the person he loves so much.

"Y-yes…" Ryoma gasped, the burning sensation soon died down and was replaced by something pleasurable as the sophomore started moving inside him.

It was heaven…no…it was bloody communion. The room was filled with their gasps and moans as they lavish in the fiery sea of their love-making. They forgot about everything around them. All the mattered was their love, their future, they're very souls being offered to one another.

"Chou…Ahh….can't…" Ryoma gasped as Ohtori continued brining him higher and higher with every thrust.

"Ryoma…" Ohtori groaned as he gave one last thrust and both of them reached climax, seeing pin-pricks of lights as they succumb to the depths of desire. They both lay there, trying to catch their breaths.

_And I feel it right here_

_And I feel you right here_

Ohtori rolled off to the side and he waited for Ryoma to calm down. He brushed the damp hair off his forehead and planted a soft kiss on it. "I love you." He whispered as he placed another kiss on Ryoma's closed eyelids, then another on his cheeks and finally on his lips.

"I love you too, Choutarou…" Ryoma whispered against lips, sealing their fate with one last searing kiss.

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A/N: I had a hard time writing this…because IT'S MY PREMILINARY EXAMS!!!!! I hope you liked it. Thanks…despite my busy schedule; I'll do my best to update weekly. Thanks!!! Please review!!!!


	16. Colour blind

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Colour Blind". Darius Danesh does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Ohtori woke up early in the morning, thanks to his reliable biological clock, only to be mesmerized by the scene before him. It took him a couple of minutes to get used to the fact that he and Ryoma crossed into a more intimate level, judging from what they did last night. He smiled at the memory of their sweet love making. In spite of the fact that Ryoma never acted like a complete virgin, he was glad that the freshman had surrendered everything to him.

'He looks angelic in his sleep…' the older boy mused as he threaded his fingers into the black, silky mess of his boyfriend's hair. He traced the serene profile of Ryoma with his gaze and felt a warm filling in his gut. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his koibito's forehead. 'I could get used to this.' He though at he placed another kiss on his nose. His action made the freshman adorably wrinkled his nose still without waking up. Ohtori's couldn't help but coo at Ryoma's antics. He stared around the music room, it was still dark. He glanced at the clock and saw it is only 5 am.

He stood up, and reached for his shirt. Knowing that they're the only occupants of the house, he slipped it on together with his boxers. "A nice breakfast would sure cheer him up." he told himself as he made sure that the boy is well-blanketed before leaving the room.

A few minutes after Ohtori was gone, Ryoma opened his eyes to an empty space next to him. He scanned the room, looking for Ohtori but to his dismay, the boy was nowhere to be found. He grumpily sat up, finding himself a little sore from the previous night's activity. "Where the hell is he?" he yawned. He slipped on his boxers and stood up. Without even bothering to put on a shirt, he went down to look for his lover.

Ohtori was busy in the kitchen, hoping to prepare Ryoma a decent bento. Karupin good-naturedly greeted him on his way to the kitchen earlier, then following him for her breakfast as well. He gave the feline a bowl of milk to lap on before carrying on with his mission. He was sautéing the vegetables when he suddenly felt a pair of arms encircling his waist.

"Good morning, Sunshine. Aren't we an early riser today?" Ohtori turned around to place a firm kiss on Ryoma's lips.

"I thought you left." Ryoma pouted his eyes still blurry from his slumber.

"Oh why would I do that, Ryo-kun?" the older boy went back to his cooking. "I only wanted to get up early so that I could make you a good breakfast."

'Oh…' Ryoma mentally gasped. He peered past Ohtori's trunk and drooled at the delicious-looking dish on the pan. "Well I forgot to tell you of my peculiar sleeping habit." He said before breaking away from the sophomore. He bent down to pick up Karupin, giving Ohtori a nice view of his glorious backside. He turned around and noticed that Ohtori hastily turned his attention back to the pan. The boy shrugged and sat down on one of the stools, with Karupin in his arms.

"Sleeping habit?" Ohtori asked, eyeing the boy. 'Staring too much at Ryoma is indeed a liability.' He added. He put off the stove and transferred the vegetables on the bento boxes on the table.

"Yeah…ouchie!" the boy cried when he tried to snatch a steaming broccoli. "Whoa! I instantly wake up when the one I'm sleeping next to leaves. I'm rather attached to their smell." He said while munching.

"Really? So you mean…" Ohtori started, his mother hen nature perking up.

"You have to leave a piece of garment that you slept in with me so that I don't get disturbed." Ryoma stated.

"Ooohhkay…" the older boy nodded. Karupin jumped out of her master's arms and darted outside. However, her departure was not the reason why Ohtori nearly dropped the pan he's holding. It was Ryoma's next comment.

"You want to take a shower together?" big golden eyes flashed in mischief. "It'll save us time and a LOT of hot water…"

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Everybody was quite surprised that Ryoma came early for practice that morning and most especially, Ohtori was with him too. The Hyotei sophomore was long gone but they still won't stop pestering the freshman.

"Why was he here?"

"Why are you together this early morning?"

"O'chibi, is there something you're not telling us?"

"Saa…he'll tell us if he wants to Eiji."

"NYA!!!! I want to know now!"

Their annoying interview was responded by a cold "Mada mada dane" before the freshman entered the clubroom, leaving them perturbed.

Tezuka was staring at them, clearly not pleased by what he witnessed.

"I'm 100 sure that Ohtori spent the night at Echizen's house. That's the reason why they're together." Inui spoke up from behind. His statement only aggravated the situation.

"NANI?!!" the regulars cried in disbelief.

"No way! Could there be…" Oishi shifted into his Mama-mode

"There's a big possibility, Oishi." Fuji pointed out.

"No way! Nya!!!! O'chibi is just a child!" Eiji protested.

"I don't believe this!" Momo was equally perturbed. "I refuse to believe this!" Kaidou on the other hand was speechless, a hint of blush creeping up his cheeks.

And somebody must've handed Kawamura a racket since he started thrashing around, swinging his racket dangerously while screaming, "OH MY GOD! OHTORI HAS TAINTED OUR O'CHIBI'S INNOCENT LITTLE MI—"

"ALL OF YOU, 30 LAPS AROUND THE COURT!!!" Tezuka barked. He bit his inner cheek as a sting of pain flashed through his head. While the regulars wondered at his sudden outburst, they decided its best that they do what he said.

"What happened here?" Ryoma asked once he got out of the club room. He stared at his other senpais who were starting on their laps.

Tezuka's eyes narrowed at the freshman's apparent naïveté. 'You spent the night with him and you had the decency to show up in school together. Is this how you want to punish me, Ryoma?' Tezuka clenched his fists in anger. "And you as well, 30 laps around the court." He ordered.

Ryoma was taken aback by what he heard. "Why?" he asked, golden eyes looked up to the bespectacled boy. "I didn't do anything wrong."

Tezuka used all his self-control to not maul the boy. 'Are you this oblivious?' he took a deep breath. "Yes you did. You disrupted the morning practice." He returned Ryoma's glare with the same intensity. "And you better start now or I'll add more laps."

Ryoma tugged at the brim of his hat before turning his back to the captain. "You look like an irritated snake, you know." he said making sure that only Tezuka would hear him. "Continue on with that and you'll look just like Kaidou-senpai." he then started running, not wanting to incur the wrath of Tezuka.

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"Choutarou."

Ohtori turned around and saw the grim face of Shishido. "Yes, Shishido-senpai?"

"I was trying to contact you yesterday but you're not picking up. What happened?" Shishido asked. He felt a slash of pain in his chest for he already know the reason why. He only wanted to hear it from Ohtori. 'I know. You were with that short bastard again.'

"Oh!" Ohtori's face cheered up in a manner that Shishido almost hated. "I was with Ryoma the whole day. Both our parents left for two days so that leaves us to look after each other." He said, a tint on blush coloring his face.

"What's this?" Gakuto suddenly appeared from nowhere with Oshitari in tow. "You're saying that you spent the night with Echizen-kun?" his eyebrows quirking up in interest.

Shishido glared at the redhead. 'Nice Mukahi…that was very tactful of you.'

"Eh…sort of, Gakuto-senpai." Ohtori stammered, blushing more.

"Oh my god!" Jirou interrupted, dragging Hiyoshi with him as they joined the conversation. "You mean something happened right?"

Shishido was about to hit the cheerful player however the bang of the door made them cringe.

"ALL OF YOU, LAPS AROUND THE COURT!!!" Atobe bellowed, looking very murderous.

"How many?" Jirou asked, clearly not affected by the angry diva.

"I DON'T CARE! JUST RUN!"

"But how will we know when to stop?" Hiyoshi dared asked. He regretted doing it though when the saw Atobe's face grew red in rage.

"YOU WILL RUN AS LONG AS ORE-SAMA WANTS YOU TO!"

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The day went by uneventful, well given that they've learned their lessons during the morning practices. The other Seigaku regulars realized it'd be wise to stop poking around for more information basing on their captain's behavior earlier. This however did not go unnoticed to their resident tensai.

"Why were you so mad this morning?" he asked. His cerulean eyes were glued to the bespectacled boy in front of him.

"You guys disrupted the practice. What else?" Tezuka's curt reply. 'I know I'm being cold but please Syusuke, I'm not in the mood.' He added mentally.

"But why Echizen too? He didn't do anything." Fuji continued otherwise. His boyfriend's silence indicated that he's doing a very futile attempt to get the answers. "Fine." He sighed and sat next to the Seigaku captain. He wound his arms around his waist and placed a light kiss on his cheek. "I won't ask anymore." He said. What Tezuka didn't though is the slight sadness in Fuji's eyes. 'There's something going on and I don't think I like it. I have to know sooner or later, Mitsu-kun.'

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He just got off the phone with Ryoma and felt his day getting brighter. He doesn't care about Atobe's bitchy mode at all. Every time he closes his eyes all he sees is the freshman's smile and that's enough to make him feel revived again. They agreed earlier that they'll eat dinner at the restaurant so that Ryoma could supervise the staff even for just a while and promised that someone will drive them home.

Atobe was still in his impossible diva mode all throughout the practice, keeping everyone on edge. It was lucky enough to have Sakaki-sensei butt in when he's getting ridiculously unbearable. The thought of seeing his Ryoma again after their practice kept him in a positive mood, even when Shishido kept missing the shots during their practice match against Gakuto and Oshitari.

"That would've been a very easy ball for you, Ryou." Oshitari pointed out.

"Stop pestering me, ok?" Shishido glared at the Hyotei tensai. "I'm not in my best mood right now." He added.

Ohtori stared at his doubles partner worriedly. 'Was it me? Did I do something wrong?'

"You've been like that ever since you've learned that Ohtori-kun is spending two days with Echizen-kun." Gakuto pointed out. He soon gave out a soft yelp when he narrowly escaped the ball hurdled at him by Shishido.

"Shishido-senpai!!!" Ohtori cried in surprise.

"Hey! That was un-called for, Scar-head." Oshitari glared at him. He was about to give Shishido a piece of his mind when…

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!?!" Sakaki-sensei bellowed. They all turned towards his direction and were surprised to see Echizen standing right next to him.

It took a couple of seconds for the four of them to react. Ohtori came towards their coach.

"What's going on, sensei? Why is Ryoma here?" Ohtori asked. He caught Ryoma winked at him and that made him calm down.

"He's just here to deliver something." Sakaki-sensei said. This got the attention of the rest of Hyotei's 200 tennis club members.

"He's here to deliver what, sensei?" Atobe asked from behind. His expression was unreadable.

"Just a few files from Chilton, Monkey King. Nothing much." Ryoma replied. Basing on their captain's behavior for the whole day, they expected lighting to strike Echizen down but were amazed at the fact that their captain waved off the name-calling.

"And since you were about to rip each other's throats, you better get home before this court bathes in your blood."

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Ohtori and Ryoma were long gone but the rest of the regulars stayed behind to hear about the files that Seigaku freshman brought. Atobe and Sakaki-sensei were taking a bit of time discussing it inside the office.

"I'm very sure that Atobe wants to get into Echizen's pants as well." Gakuto announced. He and Shishido already made up.

"You noticed it too?" Jirou asked, rising from his semi-slumber.

"What's your take on it, Ryoh?" Oshitari turned to the scarred boy.

"Why are you asking me?" Shishido asked back, getting a bit defensive.

"Ch! We're not stupid to not notice you pinning after Ohtori-kun, Shishido-senpai." Hiyoshi said, ignoring the death glare his senpai sent him. "No offense, but you're quite obvious."

Shishido shot them all a glared. 'Why are you meddling with my life? It's not like you can do something about It.' he pouted. "What of it?"

Jirou sat up while staring at him incredulously. "You cannot fool us Ryoh." He yawned. "But if you like Choutarou-kun that much, you'll let them be."

The door slammed open, revealing a revived diva. "Heads up squirts. We're leaving."

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Inui's fingers were busy dialing his teammate's number.

"Nya Inui…" Eiji answered.

"I saw Echizen-kun and Ohtori-kun entered what looks like a bar." He said.

"Oh no! They're breaking the law!!!" Eiji dramatically exclaimed.

"I know. Call everyone else." Inui said.

"Hai!"

The Data Man dialed another number.

"Inui from Seigaku here."

"So what made you call?"

"Your kohai went inside a bar with my kohai. I think I should know."

"What?! What's the name of the place? Where is that?"

"The bar's name is Island Cove. It's just a few blocks away from Republika de Jarina." Inui pushed his glasses up as he studied the infrastructure. "You won't miss it. It's very easy to see."

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It took only a few minutes before the rest of the Seigaku regulars and Hyotei regulars sans the sophomores to arrive at the meeting place. By the looks on their faces, displeasure only comes in second after anger.

"It's your kohai's fault. I bet he dragged our O'chibi in that place." Eiji told Gakuto who looked like he wanted to maul the Seigaku acrobat then and there.

"Our kohai's fault?! Excuse me but may I remind you that it's your kohai who has a questionable reputation." Gakuto snapped at him.

"Lies! All lies!!!" Eiji cried.

"Why you little—"

"ENOUGH!!!" both Tezuka and Atobe shouted, making most of the passers-by stop and stare at them.

"There's no point blaming each other regarding this situation." Oshitari said.

"What we need to do is get the two out of that place a quickly as possible." Fuji added.

"Wow, Fuji-kun is really amazing." Jirou said in amazement however everyone was too worried to pay attention to him.

"But how? I don't think we would be allowed to get in either." Kawamura said.

"But they got in. I suppose that there's a way around it." Shishido said. 'Damn you Echizen. If Choutarou gets into major trouble because of you, I'll definitely castrate you!'

"Either way, Ore-sama will make sure we get them out of there." Atobe crossed his arms.

Tezuka stared at their determined faces. 'Damn Ryoma, what mess did you get in this time?' he nodded as they approached the guy at the entrance of Island Cove.

"Good afternoon!" the man greeted them cheerfully. "Anything I can help you with?" he smiled, showing them his golden teeth. Their suspicion about the place grew because of this.

"I'm sorry to be rude but I think our kohais are in there." Atobe spoke up, an air of arrogance increased around him.

"Pardon me?" the man asked. He opened the door for the newly-arrived couple.

"We mean, we think that our kohais are in there. If you don't mind, we're taking them home." Tezuka answered. They got curious when the man chuckled and stared at them as if they're out of their minds.

"Sure. Why don't you get in and look for them." he politely bowed.

"But we can't! We're still minors!" Eiji spoke from behind. His statement only made the man laugh some more.

"I'm sorry Sir but I think this is not a laughing matter." Oishi pressed in, almost in the state of hysteria.

"Gomen. Don't worry. This is a family-oriented restaurant. You can get inside and look for your kohais." He opened the door for them. "Don't worry. You won't be breaking any law." He added as the regulars hesitantly went inside. "And we don't serve liquors to those without IDs." He called after them.

A blinding light greeted them. When they recovered, they first noticed the ambiance of the place. It was way different from a nightclub or a bar. It looked like a normal restaurant with Tahitian motif. Inside were a few families dinning with their little kids. If the situation didn't seem so tense, they could've laughed off their stupidity.

"What are you doing here, senpai-tachi?"

They all turned around to see who it was and was surprised to see Ohtori seated in one of the tables with books, notes and a glass of shake spread in from of him. By the looks of him, he looked like he was studying.

The third years breathed out a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing here, Ohtori-kun?" Oishi immediately asked while peering intently at the sophomore's face. "And where is Echizen?"

'Ohtori's face lightens up every time he hears Echizen's name.' Fuji thought sadly. 'Why can't Mitsu be that way for me?' he bit his inner cheek to pacify himself. "We thought you're getting into trouble by entering a bar." The tensai said before taking a seat. The rest of the third years occupied the two tables near Ohtori.

"Are these your friends, Ohtori-sama?" someone spoke from behind. They all turned around and saw a cheerful version of Tsubame-san from Republika de Jarina.

"Tsubame-san! I thought you worked for Na-chan?" Gakuto pointed out.

"True. Tsubame does work for Nanako-sama." The girl giggled. Her response created more confusion.

"Tsubaki-san is Tsubame-san's twin sister." Ohtori said while sipping in his fruit shake.

"NANI?!"

Tsubaki flashed them a smile and they knew that she was indeed a different person. They made have the same long brown hair, the same height and the same face but Tsubame-san never smiles and her eyes are always emotionless. Tsubaki-san's however sparkles in delight every time she sees a living thing. Talk about complete opposites.

"Welcome to Island Cove. We revolutionize Family entertainment." Another girl came towards them. She has this neon pink hair and soulful green eyes. "Would you like to order something?"

"We'll have the specialty shake of this place." Atobe announced while flashing his credit card. 'It's nice to be wealthy and generous sometimes.'

"Ok that would be 14 Tahitian Sensation coming right up." Tsubaki got their orders and swiftly went to do her job.

"We really thought this is a bar." Kawamura told the girl.

"Oh we get that every time from first-timers." Kasumi waved her hand as if to show them that it's not big deal. She turned her attention to Ohtori who went back to doing his assignment. "Did Ryoma-sama finish his?" she asked.

"He still has one assignment left, Kasumi-san." Ohtori replied politely.

"Ryoma-sama?" the seniors asked in unison.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" both Kasumi and Ohtori asked.

"Tell us what?" Tezuka finally spoke up.

Kasumi sighed. 'That kid!' she pulled a chair and sat on it. "This place is owned by the Echizen family…" she started. " Jiroh-sama and Rinko-sama put this up five months ago."

"Oh so they owned Republika as well?" Oshitari asked.

"Oh no. RJ is partly owned by Nanako-sama." Kasumi told them.

Silence…

"And who owns the rest of it?" Atobe asked. His question quirked up the interest of the rest, even Ohtori.

Kasumi sighed. "Promise me that you won't tell him that I told you, ok?" she scanned their determined faces. 'Ok…here I go.' She took a deep breath before starting. "Nanako-sama only owns 23 of RJ's. In order to put up the shop, she needed financial aid but since Jiroh-sama and Rinko-sama were already in a "Financial Madness" because of IC, she had to ask help form somebody else. Her savings from being an acrobat was not enough."

"Ok…" the boys muttered in understanding.

"WHAT?! She's an acrobat?!" Eiji and Gakuto gaped in surprise.

"Ryoma-sama pitched in to help his cousin or maybe he's just bored and he doesn't know what to do with his money. He called up his friends from US, Sylvan Beauclaire' and James Thorrington, and asked them to invest." She glanced at the office, hoping Ryoma won't catch her blabbing his big secret. "From what I've heard, they invested the money from their joint account and that gave rise to one of Tokyo's loved confectionary shops, Republika de Jarina." She explained.

"So you mean Echizen part-owns RJ?" Ohtori asked.

"Yeah…well basically owns the biggest share as well. Nanako-sama owns 23 together with Senior Beauclaire' and Senior Thorrington while Ryoma-sama owned a roughly 31." Just right after she explained, their orders arrived. "Enjoy!" she said before leaving to over-see the staff.

They were left marveling at the new information about their O'chibi when…

"Oi…what brings you here?" golden-brown eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"O'chibi!" Eiji glommed the poor boy. "We thought you were in trouble!" he cried.

"Gerrof Eiji-senpai! You're too heavy!" Ryoma protested. He successfully pried the senior off him and went to sit in front of Ohtori. "senpai-tachi…" he muttered.

"Yes?"

"Stop ogling. It's rude." He muttered while flipping through the file folders he was carrying.

"A-ano…Shounen-sama…"

Ryoma turned around to see who used his absurd nickname. His expression softened however when he saw a little girl who's about 4-5 yrs old, holding out the microphone to him. "Ahh…me benita sumimasen. Shounen has a lot to do right now." Ryoma patted her neat hair.

"Wha—why? What is going on?" Atobe asked, staring at the girl then to Ryoma.

"Ii data…"

"Ryoma-sama, there's an emergency call from RJ." Kasumi called out form the bar.

Ryoma looked torn. He didn't want to disappoint the girl but he has to take the call. Yuuta and Akaya are probably experiencing some kind of problem.

"Don't worry Ryoma." Ohtori patted his hand to assure him. The sophomore turned to the little girl. "I'm not Shounen-sama but I can sing for you, if you want." He smiled kindly at the girl.

Ryoma breathed easily when the girl smiled and handed the microphone to his boyfriend. "I'll be right back." He said and slipped off his chair. Ohtori on the other hand was led by the girl into the stage where some on the waiters stood with instruments.

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"Do you know this song?" the guitarist asked him.

Ohtori stared at the piece of paper he's holding and smiled. 'Yeah…I do. I know it by heart.' He took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I know."

"Ok, be ready in a minute."

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Ryoma took the phone from Kasumi without taking his eyes off his boyfriend's face. 'Is he going to be ok? Is this his first time to perform on stage?' he worriedly berated himself.

"Ryoma." Yuuta's worried voice came from the other line.

"Yes Yuuta-senpai? What seems to be the problem?" he tried his best to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Ano…Baka Akaya seemed to have messed with the inventory…" the rest of his sentence drowned in the loud applause and cheers, signaling the start of Ohtori's performance.

'Fuck I don't want to miss this!' Ryoma mentally cried. "Come again?"

_Feelin' blue, while I'm trying to forget the feeling that I miss you_

_Feelin' green, when the jealousy swells and it won't go away in dreams_

_Feelin' yellow, I'm confused inside_

_A little hazy but mellow when I feel your eyes on me_

Ohtori's beautiful voice was heard throughout the restaurant, catching everyone's attention. Shishido sucked in a breath when he started, feeling his heart go for a race as Ohtori's face was illuminated with the klieg lights.

'Every time I see Ryoma, all I see are colors. Damn…he made me the sap that I am today. And I love it…' Ohtori mused as he glued his eyes to the freshman who was standing by the bar.

_Feelin' fine! Sublime!_

_When that smile of yours creeps into my mind_

_Oh oh_

"Wow…I never imagined Ohtori-kun would be this good." Inui muttered.

"Of course! He's from Hyotei!" Gakuto scoffed. "Right Jirou?" he turned to face Hyotei's sleepyhead but noticed that he was gone.

"Sugoi Ohtori-kun!!"

Then they realized that Jirou had awakened and was jumping up and down on the dance floor with the little girl earlier. Soon Eiji and Fuji joined him.

_Nobody told me you'd feel so good_

_Nobody said you'd be so beautiful_

_Nobody warned me about your smile_

_You're the light, you're the light_

_When I close my eyes_

_I'm colour blind_

'Chou-chou…" Ryoma couldn't help but smile. He was glad to see his boyfriend letting his classical guard down and molded into his genre of music. 'Yes Chou-chou…every time I look at you, I'm blinded by colors. I never expected that we'd go this far. And now I can't even imagine waking up one morning without you in my life…"

_You make me colour blind_

'Enjoy yourself for now, Ohtori.' Atobe turned to see Ryoma watching the scene intently. 'For once I get into action you'd be wishing you never met my Ryoma.' he thought bitterly as he sipped from his shake. He couldn't help but jive along with the song, despite the fact that his no.1 rival is the one singing.

_Feelin' red, when you spend all your time with your friends and not me instead_

_Feelin' black, when I think about all the things that I feel I lack_

_Feelin' jaded, when it's not gone right_

_All the colours have faded, then I feel your eyes on me_

'I don't care about anyone else as long as I have you Ryoma. It doesn't matter anymore if Buchou picks on me all the time for just one look at you, I feel like I'm being reborn. With you beside me, I think I'll be just fine.' Ohtori mused as he continued on with the hip song. He was even glad when most of his senpai-tachi joined in the crowd which was pooling on the dance floor. 'Damn I never thought I'd enjoy this.'

_Feelin' fine! Sublime!_

_When that smile of yours creeps into my mind_

_Mm mm_

'Now I know why Ryoma liked you a lot." Tezuka studied Ohtori's profile intently. 'You have no qualms in showing your emotions, in expressing how you truly feel towards him. You were just like Carlos.' He pushed up his glasses. 'Both of you were someone I could never be. Because I am who I am, just like you being who you really are.'

_Nobody told me you'd feel so good_

_Nobody said you'd be so beautiful_

_Nobody warned me about your smile_

_You're the light, you're the light_

_When I close my eyes_

_I'm colour blind_

"He's good!!!!" the little girl cheered. He squealed in delight when Kawamura took her in his arms so that she could get a better view of Ohtori.

_You make me colour blind_

"He's just like Ryoma!" Eiji yelled through the noise. It seems like the population inside the restaurant increased and joined their crowd. They seemed to approve of Ohtori's performance.

"I know! That's why they look cute together!!!" Gakuto yelled back. Everybody, except for Tezuka and Atobe were enjoying and dancing to Ohtori's song.

_Blinded by the light you shine, the colours fade completely_

_Blinded by you every time, I feel your smile defeat me_

_I'm colour blind_

_I just can't deny this feeling_

'I couldn't imagine seeing you gone, Choutarou. You're the one who gives colors to my once-dull life, my life which was once devoid of everything. You brought back my laughter. With your smile, I found the strength to smile again. With your touch I regained my warmth…' Ryoma felt a warm feeling flooding in his heart. '…with your presence I found the courage to see the world as a more beautiful place. You brought me back from the dead.'

_Nobody told me you'd feel so good_

_Nobody said you'd be so beautiful_

_Nobody warned me about your smile_

_You're the light, you're the light_

_When I close my eyes_

_I'm colour blind_

Beads of sweat were dripping down his face. 'So much adrenaline…oh god…' Ohtori was in awe with his self, being able to "bring the house down" with his performance and most especially by the look he's receiving from Ryoma. He felt euphoric when he saw Ryoma's face, looking at him with pride, as if he's proud to tell that world that they are together.

_Nobody told me you'd feel so good_

_Nobody said you'd be so beautiful_

_Nobody warned me about your smile_

_You're the light, you're the light_

_When I close my eyes_

_I'm colour blind_

'I couldn't live without you too, Ryoma. With your voice I found the strength to know who I really am. With you smile I found the will to endure every task I'm burdened with. With your touch, I was able to break free from my comfort zone and was able to see the world from your perspective.' He smiled broadly. 'And with your presence I found the life I've been wanting to live…'

_You make me colour blind_

'I love you. Don't let go ok, Chou-chou?'

'Stay with me, Ryoma. I love you.'

'I'll take back what I own Ohtori so better enjoy your last days with Ryoma.'

'I can never be like you and Carlos…but I loved him with everything that I had.'

'I'm never gonna have you right, Choutarou?'

_I'm colour blind_

_Thank you very much for making me colour blind_

"SUGOI!!!!!!" they all cheered when he was finished.

"Ohtori-kun is as cool as O'chibi!!!!" Eiji cried.

"HORA HORA!!!!! THEY'RE THE PERFECT PAIR!!!!!" Kawamura yelled, carrying the little girl in his left arm while holding a racket in the other.

"Thank you very much for your appreciation."

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A/N: thanks everybody!!! I'll do my very best to update weekly!!! Thank you for supporting me!!!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!


	17. carry my love

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Carry My Love". Sarah Geronimo does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate... and this chapter will contain multiple songs but please don't forget the main song…the one enclosed with quotation marks ok? You would be recognizing songs from Lifehouse, Boyz 2 Men, Pink, etc… don't own them…ok?

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

GOMEN MINNA-SAN! I'M REALLY HAVING A HARD TIME MANAGING MY TIME FOR STUDIES. I'M REALLY, REALLY BUSY RIGHT NOW. I'M JUST HOPING I DON'T LOSE MY CONCENTRATION FOR THIS FIC SO THAT I COULD FINISH IT. THE GOOD PARTS ARE AT THE 2ND HALF OF THE STORY. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF EVER I TAKE TIME TO UPLOAD!

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Two weeks later and its time for the Senbatsu regulars to leave Japan. They will be flying to California to face off with the American West Coast Invitational Team in a 2-day event. Only Sakaki-sensei was the chosen coach to accompany them.

Ryoma just got off the phone with his Uncle Florenz telling him that their accommodations with Clairiel Hotel are set. He went back to sit next to Ohtori who in turn wound an arm around his waist.

"Is everything ok?" Ohtori asked Ryoma as the freshman settled himself comfortably in Ohtori's arms. They are currently with the rest of Kantou's tennis players in one of Atobe's mansions, celebrating they're near departure. Since everyone's going bonkers during the party, Ryoma and Ohtori excused themselves from the crowd to sit by the pool.

"Yeah…it was just Uncle Florenz telling me that the hotel accommodations are ok." Ryoma muttered against his chest as he snuggled closer to Ohtori's warmth.

"You really are a cat, Ryo-kun."

"Che! At least I'm being a cat with you." Ryoma scoffed.

Ohtori smiled at the comment. 'Yes Ryoma. I want you to be yourself when you're with Me.' he added mentally.

"It'll be hard though."

Hazel eyes blinked. "Hard? The matches?"

"No…I mean it'll be hard living with the monkey king for a few days." Ryoma pouted. "I know what he's up to."

Ohtori let out a sigh. He looked deep into Ryoma's golden eyes and was glad with what he saw. "I trust you Ryoma. I know that you won't betray me." he leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. "we're way too strong for buchou to try and separate."

Ryoma smiled at his words. 'yeah. I won't let the scheming Monkey King break us apart, Chou-chou.'

"I'm sure you'll have fun visiting your old place. you'll be seeing old friends…" This Ryoma tried his best not to pout. He deftly averted his gaze to keep Ohtori from noticing the sudden sadness in his eyes.

"yeah…I know…"

"…they'll be seeing their dear captain playing once again…"

'…like I want them to watch me…'

"…it'll be nice to relive the memories you have of that place…"

'…no. it wouldn't be nice at all. Oh Choutarou! You don't know how much I wanted to escape that place!'

"…your friends, Sylvan, James and Carlos will probably welcome you with a big party…" Ohtori trailed off when he saw his boyfriend is no longer smiling. "Ne Ryo-kun, daijobou desu ka?"

Ryoma snapped out of his daze and stared back at Ohtori. He clearly looked distracted. "wha-huh?"

"looks like you've spaced out." Ohtori said. 'though this is the first time it happened when we're together.' He added silently.

"oh…" Ryoma tried his best to regain his focus. He didn't want Ohtori prying just because of his carelessness. 'I'm not ready yet…' golden eyes blinked a couple of times. "I'm just getting a bit cozy with my position that I almost drifted off." Ryoma put on a smile and snuggled closer to Ohtori hoping his actions were enough to divert his boyfriend's attention.

His smile widened when he saw Ohtori beaming at him. "cozy huh? That wouldn't come for free though." Mischief flashing in his eyes. He leaned and gave Ryoma a soft, yet lingering kiss. "remember that when you're in America."

Ryoma nodded and kissed him again.

Ohtori took Ryoma's hand and held it firmly with his, letting the identical silver rings on their fingers shimmer under the soft rays of the sun. "just always remember that I'm here waiting for you." Ryoma's golden orbs softened at his words. "even though I won't be with you physically, please remember that you'll have my love to keep as always." He placed a chaste kiss on the freshman's forehead as they let the rings clinked in contact.

Ryoma marveled at the way their hands fit together, seeing the rings they bought three days ago brought warmth from his insides. The way Ohtori's holding him right now almost made him cry at the thought of being away from his warmth even just for a day.

"I will carry your love everywhere I go, koibito." Ryoma promised, his eyes glue to Ohtori's. I'll never let it go."

"Oi Echizen! Ohtori-kun!" they turned and saw Momoshiro calling them from the balcony. "Atobe-san wants everybody in the party hall for the singing contest!!!"

"HAI!!!' they replied in unison. Ryoma stood up first then held his hand to Ohtori to help him up. they went inside the mansion hand in hand.

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Atobe had them all assembled for an impromptu singing contest, the judges: the team captains. Even those unknown people from Yamabuki () were there.

"Ore-sama will now open this showdown of voices. Those interested of joining can inform my personal DJ if you're using canned music or you can use any instrument that you want." Atobe flicked his glossy hair of his face. "Ore-sama will even let you use this magnificent grand piano." With this, he took his seat between Yukimura and Tezuka.

The rules were simple. There should be one contestant per team and they will be singing one English song per category that the judges have chosen. They will be scored according to voice quality and audience impact. The prizes would be an eat-all-you-can coupon from Kawamura's Sushi courtesy of Taka-san, a personal chibi-cake from Republika de Jarina and an all-expense paid trip to Atobe's Onsen Spa. The losers and their respective teams will have to drink a pitcher of Aozu. with this on the line, each team sent out their best singers mainly Ryoma for Seigaku, Ohtori for Hyotei, Yuuta for St. Rudolf, Kirihara for Rikkai, Ryou Kizarasu for Rokkaku, Sengoku for Yamabuki, Youhei for Jyosei Shounan and Ibu Shinji for Fudomine.

The contestants were advised of their categories. They were all gather inside a separate room to prepare.

Kirihara elbowed Ryoma gently. "what did you get?"

Ryoma pouted and showed him the slip of paper containing the words "Pop" c/o by Akazawa. Kirihara showed him a slip pf paper saying his category will be "Acoustic" courtesy by Tachibana.

"this is gonna be hard." Kirihara muttered as he fumbled with his guitar.

"good for you Akaya. Mine I got RNB as requested by Yukimura-san." Yuuta groaned.

Shinji was muttering in one corner on the consequences of his defeat. Clearly he was not pleased with what he got which was Reggae. Kizarasu Ryou was discussing with Sengoku and Youhei his chosen category which was Soul. Yohei was given Country while Sengoku was given the "Rock".

"so this leaves the most coveted "Ballad" to Ohtori-kun, ne?" Yohei glanced at the tall Hyotei sophomore who was standing beside Ryoma.

"Lucky…"

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"this is going to be fun!" Kikumaru was in hyper mode as usual. They were waiting anxiously for the contest to start.

"this is going to be very fun, dane!" Yanagisawa added. "I'm sure Yuuta-kun will not let St. Rudolph down."

"It'll be Rikkai!" Marui interrupted.

"No!!!" Jirou stomped his feet. "Ohtori-kun is the best singer there is. No one can compare to him!!!!"

"Yohei-kun will emerge the victor." Wakato announced, adding to the tension inside the hall.

"it'll be MY twin brother who'll win." Atsushi Kizarazu insisted.

"No!!!! It'll be Shinji!!!!!" Kamio cried.

"NO! Gomen minna-san but it'll be Sengoku-senpai desu!!!!!" Dan chimed in.

"come on guys…this is not a matter to fight over…" Oishi said warily but the angry glares that the fanboys sent told him otherwise.

"saa…by the end of the day there will be bloodshed." Fuji muttered before chuckling evilly.

Tezuka, upon hearing this shivered involuntarily. 'maybe this was not such a good idea after all...'

The hall suddenly went pitch black. Soon Niou and Yagyuu were focused by the spot light.

"Minna….welcome…"

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"are you nervous?" Ohtori asked Ryoma who was seated at the far corner. Kirihara was already on stage performing as they speak.

"not at all. How about you?" the freshman inquired.

"a little nervous. It's not like they're as responsive at the IC customers." Hazel eyes blinked back the fear.

Ryoma's small hands reached out and held Ohtori's securely with his. "you'll be ok."

_What day is it_

_And in what month_

_This clock never seemed so alive…_

"that signals that Akaya-senpai is done." Ryoma muttered.

"and it seems that he's getting tremendous audience response." Yuuta added, coming out of nowhere.

"this makes the competition more exciting." Sengoku commented.

"Next up is Fuji Yuuta for St. Rudolf singing "I'll make Love To You by Boyz 2 Men."" Yagyuu announced. Yuuta paled at the announcement.

"Go. Make us proud!" Ohtori smiled kindly at him while Ryoma did the pushing towards the stage. On his way he met up with Kirihara who was beaming wildly.

"Man! That was fun!!!!" he cried while brandishing his guitar left and right. He gave Yuuta an encouraging push towards the stage.

"and that was very helpful." Ryoma said dryly, seeing how his senpai was unceremoniously shoved towards his Mt. Calvary.

"I thought he needed the extra push." Kirihara replied while shrugging his shoulders. They grew quiet the moment they heard Yuuta singing.

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_I'll make love to you like you want me to_

_And I'll hold you tight Baby all through the night_

_I'll make love to you when you want me to_

_And I will not let go_

_Till you tell me to…_

The hall erupted in applause then Yuuta finally finished his song. he actually impressed majority of the crowd since no one expected that he'd be this good.

"your boyfriend's brother actually has something that is better than his tensai aniki." Atobe told Tezuka. "I bet he's been waiting to do this to get out of Fuji's shadow right?"

"I don't meddle with Syusuke's family affairs." Tezuka coldly muttered without even looking up from his score sheet.

"so you're telling me that he's brother has an inferiority complex?" Yukimura interjected.

"you could say that." Atobe replied.

"hmm…"

Shinji and Yohei came next. They did well in their performances though it was obvious that Shinji was having difficulties with his song.

"its Reggae damn it! with his kind of voice, he can never achieve perfection with that song." Ann protested after Shinji's rendition of Shaggy's "Angel".

"it's ok. Let's just hope the judges would acknowledge his efforts." Kamio placed an assuring hand on her shoulders.

Their performance was soon followed by Kizarazu Ryou and Sengoku. They were excellent singers however their performances were easily forgotten now that the two best singers are to follow their suit. By the time Sengoku was able to finish his song, the Seigaku and Hyotei crowd were already chanting Ryoma and Ohtori's name.

"this is going to be a close fight between Kirihara, Fuji Yuuta, Echizen and Ohtori." Yanagi told Inui. They were busy scribbling on their notebooks.

"yeah. There is 10 above threshold saying that Echizen shall be named victor though." Inui said.

"Erngk!!! Wrong answer." Yanagi told him.

"are you telling me otherwise?" Inui felt his data is being challenged.

"as far as the previous performances, Ryoma's comfort zone is Ballad. I heard from Akaya that Ohtori-kun got the Ballad category. This means that he got the Pop category.' Yanagi said.

"and your point is?" Inui's eyebrow arched.

"Most balladeers have minimal success rate in transitioning to fast-paced song." Yanagi said. He smirked when he saw Inui pouting.

"you may have a point there…"

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"Ryoma…"

"Nandayo, Chou-chou?"

"will you listen to my song with all your heart?" Soft hazel eyes met with big gold ones in a smoldering gaze.

"I will."

"will you watch me while I sing?"

"I will."

"thank you." Long, lanky arms reached out to embrace him. "I'll be singing to you and only you."

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"shhh!!!! It's Ohtori-kun's turn now!" Jirou hushed the crowd. "he'll blow your pants off!!!!" he added.

"looks like Hyotei-tachi have strong confidence in Ohtori-kun's talent." Tachibana told Atobe.

"Of course. Despite the fact that he's just a puny sophomore plebian, he's still the best." The diva answered. 'damn it's hard putting an act up. never in my life will I say that to your face.' Atobe added as he watched Ohtori ascend to the stage,

there was a loud chanting of his name the moment he stepped up the stage. He anxiously scanned the crowd and majority of his fans were from the senior's group who watched his impromptu show in Island Cove two weeks ago. 'here I go…' he closed his eyes and tried to even his breathing. He realized he's been on spotlight when he opened his eyes and he felt his heartbeat race up once more. 'don't be nervous. You've done this before…' he scanned the faces of the crowd and breathed easy when he saw Ryoma standing next to his senpai-tachi, smiling at him.

_If there is something then at least just say it_

_I wanna know what this could mean for us_

_What do you have when it happens?_

_I think they call it love_

"I must admit…he really is damn good." Kajimoto muttered, experiencing Ohtori's performance for the first time.

"he's the lucky one to be in his comfort zone." Oshitari said.

'Choutarou…I know you're singing to him again.' Shishido bit his lip to appease the pain in his heart. 'it hurts so much. I want to be the one you look into the eyes and sing that song to…you don't know how much I want it to be me.'

'I really envy you right now, Echizen-kun for once again, Ohtori is up in front of everybody expressing his love to you.' Fuji stared up sadly to the judges table where he was surprised to see Tezuka looking at their section. He couldn't help but feel happy, mistaking that it's him Tezuka is watching.

_I'll take a breath and let my feelings show_

_Cause we're exploring territories never known_

_Like the first time you sing_

_And all of the happiness it brings_

'Ryoma…I know and I believe that our love will survive no matter how many miles we're apart. Even if it means that I'd have to suffer for three days, knowing that Atobe-buchou is just waiting for the perfect time to pounce on you.' Ohtori's eyes were locked into Ryoma's the whole time. He tried to avert his gaze but the freshman had him captivated from the start,

_Carry my love thru all the seasons_

_Carry my heart inside the reasons_

_You are my prayer - my every thought_

_That I will guard at any cost_

_You are my safe inside the storm_

_And in your arms I am at home_

_Every emotion that's uncharted_

_Gives me a joy from where we started_

'I will always remember our promise, Choutarou." Ryoma mused as he held Ohtori's gaze. He placed a hand over his racing heart. 'I'll always keep you here.'

"look at the two of them." Eiji nudged at Oishi. Seigaku's Kaa-san turned and was touched deeply by the scene he saw. "aren't they cute?"

"I know." Oishi smiled at Eiji. "it seems like we don't exist to them anymore."

_No matter if we take it slow_

_It doesn't really change a thing, you know?_

_It's like you fall thru the floor_

_And everyday being born into our love again_

'you really love him, ne Ohtori-kun?' Yukimura mused as he watched the two of them. he sighed deeply, acknowledging his defeat. 'I give up. I'm no villain to keep you two separated. Although I'm disappointed that I didn't get a chance to make Echizen-kun notice me, I think he's better to be off with you.' He glanced at the two captains beside him and was not pleased by what he saw. 'you'd have to be strong enough to keep these two baboons out of your lives, tough. As for me…' He leaned back with a smile on his face '…I'll just see what will happen. And besides, when God closes the door, somehow he opens a window.'

_We're like the seams inside the picture we have sewn_

_And our reflection shines on every cornerstone_

_Our world begins with dawn_

_It's guiding us thru the midnight stars_

_Carry my love thru all the seasons_

_Carry my heart inside the reasons_

_You are my prayer - my every thought_

_That I will guard at any cost_

_You are my safe inside the storm_

_And in your arms I am at home_

_Every emotion that's uncharted_

_Gives me a joy from where we started_

'that's right Ohtori-kun. enjoy your remaining time with my future koibito. Shishido might have given up on you but not I. I am Atobe Keigo and I will have what I want, by hook or by crook.'

_(you're all my dreams)_

_We keep the best things and the good we have_

_(you're everything)_

_We count our blessings everyday we can_

_(safe in my heart)_

_I wanna say the words and know they're truthful_

_(I love who you are)_

_With all the love around you know I need you_

_(without you I'm lost)_

'Ryoma's really lucky to have you Ohtori-kun. however, how will you react if you find out that you're just a replica of Ryoma's true soul mate? It'll be a very big blow to your entire being for sure, just like what happened to me…' Tezuka turned his gaze towards his ex-boyfriend. 'how long do you intend to hide everything from him Ryoma? sooner or later he'll find out that he is not the one who really owns your entire being. Sooner or later, he'll disappear like a puff of dust…'

_You are a dream I hope will never end_

_For all the beauty of you making love to me again_

_Tell me I won't be alone_

_That we'll be together for all time_

'We'll stay together…forever Choutarou. Nothing will tear us apart, not even Atobe, or Yukimura or Tezuka or even Carlos.' Tears threatened to escape his eyes. 'I'm glad I listened to him for the first time in my life. I'm really glad…'

_Carry my love thru all the seasons_

_Carry my heart inside the reasons_

_You are my prayer - my every thought_

_That I will guard at any cost_

'I intend to be with you for the rest of my life, Ryoma…' Ohtori raised his left hand and saw the ring twinkled under the bright light. 'for eternity…'

_You are my safe inside the storm_

_And in your arms I am at home_

_Every emotion that's uncharted_

_Gives me a joy from where we started…_

The whole concert hall was quiet. It was like the calm before the storm. Ohtori could feel his whole body shaking from the adrenaline rush.

"SUGOI OHTORI-KUN!!!!!!!!!" Jirou screamed and pandemonium broke out.

it took a total of ten minutes before the crowd calmed down which was quite absurd since they're just about 60 players in all. Ohtori couldn't stop beaming when the hall was filled with applause. ' I think I'm gonna have facial cramps later.' He worried mused as he smiled broadly to the crowd. His worries disappeared though when he saw Ryoma smiling broadly at him. he felt his heart is going to explode from happiness. What he didn't expect thought was for him to come up stage and give him a soft kiss.

The whole place was filled with stunned silence…

Ryoma smirked and snatched the microphone from his equally perturbed boyfriend. "Sumimasen, minna-san however I'm going to steal the scene from this point onwards." He winked at Ohtori who just recovered from his daze. "I know you would understand, basing on the previous performances that I can't simply just lose. And I apologize for the language that I will be using." He said, looking very arrogant and cocky.

Ohtori couldn't help but smile at Ryoma's antics. He gave his hand a final squeeze before descending from the stage.

"SHOUNEN! SHOUNEN! SHOUNEN!" the Seigaku's 3rd years sans Tezuka and Atobe were chanting Ryoma's absurd nickname that they picked up form Kasumi-san. Soon, the rest of the hall was chanting his name as well.

(A/N: No more mushy ESP conversation from this point onwards)

Ryoma took center stage. It was the first time he's going to perform something like this for them. when in IC, sure this is a normal thing to go but he's quite apprehensive about doing the same thing in front of these people. He signaled the in-house band that he's ready. 'ok…I can see my reputation going down the drain in a few seconds…'

"GO O'CHIBI!!!!!!" Eiji and Momo yelled form the crowd.

The lights dimmed, causing everyone to hush up.

"I still believe Echizen will bag this." Inui told Yanagi.

"Ows? After Kirihara, Fuji Yuuta and Ohtori's performances…I doubt it." the Master told the Data Man as the music started playing.

_Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh_

_Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh_

"this is going to be nice…" Atobe licked his lips when the lights flooded the stage, revealing Ryoma in his low-rise jeans, white cap and sleeveless shirt. The freshman looked very delectable right now especially if you count the song he's singing.

_Check it out_

_Going out_

_On the late night_

_Looking tight_

_Feeling nice_

_It's a cock fight_

_I can tell_

_I just know_

_That it's going down_

_Tonight_

The hall was in chaos when Ryoma started to move on stage. It was like he's been performing all his life.

_At the door we don't wait cause we know them_

_At the bar six shots just beginning_

_That's when Dick-head put his hands on me_

_But you see_

_I'm not here for your entertainment_

_You don't really want to mess with me tonight_

_Just stop and take a second_

_I was fine before you walked into my life_

_Cause you know it's over_

_Before it began_

_Keep your drink just give me the money_

_It's just you and your hand tonight_

Soon after he got everybody dancing to his song. Even cardboards like Tachibana and Sanada were jiving a bit. It was like an all-night party. Ryoma sashayed towards the judges' booth and did something nobody expected, an impromptu table dance.

_Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh_

_Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh_

The judges except for Atobe and Yukimura were taken aback when Ryoma went up their table and kicked off their score sheets.

_Midnight_

_I'm drunk_

_I don't give a fuck_

_Wanna dance_

_By myself_

_Guess you're outta luck_

_Don't touch_

_Back up_

_I'm not the one_

_Alright_

He winked at them and swore he saw Tezuka blushed. Atobe and Yukimura, on the other hand were staring at him hungrily, as if they're ready to devour his petite body.

"I never thought your kohai can be this entertaining." Niou muttered to Ohtori. The latter just smiled.

"he's such a tease."

_Listen up it's just not happening_

_You can say what you want to your boyfriends_

_Just let me have my fun tonight_

Ryoma took Tezuka's water glass and took a drink from it before giving them a flying kiss as goodbye to give his attention to the maddening crowd.

_I'm not here for your entertainment_

_You don't really want to mess with me tonight_

_Just stop and take a second_

_I was fine before you walked into my life_

_Cause you know it's over_

_Before it began_

_Keep your drink just give me the money_

_It's just you and your hand tonight_

_Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh_

_Break break_

_Break it down_

He went to the crowd and they instantly circled around him, dancing like there's no tomorrow. It's like he turned up the ambiance for an all-out party.

_In the corner with your boys you bet up five bucks_

_To get at the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck_

_We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see_

_So quit spilling your drinks on me yeah_

He shared the microphone to Niou who seemed to know the song.

_You know who you are_

_High fivin, talkin shit, but you're going home alone arentcha?_

It seemed like there was a mini earthquake inside the mansion, the pebbles vibrating on the ground. Everyone was loosening up and was releasing the pent up emotions and frustrations that they had. Fuji was even able to coax Tezuka to join the dancing.

_Cause I'm not here for your entertainment_

_No_

_You don't really want to mess with me tonight_

_Just stop and take a second_

_Just stop and take a second_

_I was fine before you walked into my life_

_Cause you know it's over_

_Know it's over_

_Before it began_

_Keep your drink just give me the money_

_It's just you and your hand tonight_

_It's just you and your hand_

Ryoma was having the time of his life. He was dancing with Ohtori and his senpais are having fun as well. 'looks like I rocked your worlds, ne senpai-tachi?'

_I'm not here for your entertainment_

_No no no_

_You don't really want to mess with me tonight_

_Just stop and take a second_

_Just take a second_

_I was fine before you walked into my life_

_Cause you know it's over_

_Before it began_

_Keep your drink just give me the money_

_It's just you and your hand tonight_

_Yeah oh_

Ryoma was panting hard when the song was finished. He scanned the hall and his senpais were exhausted as well.

"che! Looks like I made you go wild, Senpai-tachi." He said through the microphone. He was waiting for a reply when…

"ONE MORE TIME!!!!!!!!!"

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A/N: who won? You can guess…there will be a multi-song chapter in the future…not telling anymore. I hope you continue supporting this fic so that it won't die out. I have really great plans for this so please help me, minna-san!!! please review!!!!!!

Oh yeah…another pair will be added after this chapter cause next chapter would be the…INVITATIONAL CUP!!!!!!!


	18. caught up

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs and (()) for IM's. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

**IMPORTANT NOTE!** : THIS CHAPTER IS NOT A SONG FIC. DUE TO WRITER'S BLOCK, THE AUTHOR DOESN'T HAVE A SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER! (kidding!) THE SONGS WILL RESUME NEXT CHAPTER. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO RYOMA REALLY IS IN THIS STORY. MWAHERZ!!!!!!!

P/S: OHTORI WILL HAVE MINIMAL APPEARANCE IN THE NEXT TWO-THREE CHAPTERS. GOMEN!!!

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Two days after their party, the eight Senbatsu regulars are now air-borne to California in the De Vera's private jet, the JC Lightning. This sudden special treatment got everybody curious.

"From what I've gathered from the previous Invitational Cup, they traveled in commercial flights. How come we're on a private jet?" Sengoku asked Fuji. The Seigaku tensai was picked as a substitute.

"It was the De Veras who made such gracious offer." He glanced at Ryoma who was fast asleep next to Kirihara. "It seems like they've foreseen chaos and disaster if we used the commercial flights."

"Why? Does Ore-sama already have fans in America?" he flipped his shiny purple hair. "I'm not surprised. Ore-sama is a very desirable human being." This comment earned faces from the rest of the kids.

"De Vera? That sounded familiar." Oshitari muttered.

"It is. We're talking about one of Ryoma's best friends, Juan Carlos De Vera, being the son of one of our sponsors." Sakaki-sensei flipped through the magazine he's holding. "Without having to do anything, we gained three gigantic sponsors for this Invitational Cup. All of course, because we have Echizen on board."

"They're that rich?" Eiji was in awe.

"Yes. We were not even able to touch the funds itself. The hotel accommodations were set-up in Clairiel Hotel, CA, courtesy of the Beauclaire family. Our transportation is sponsored by Euro Tours, courtesy by the De Vera family and our miscellaneous expenses are covered by Blitz-Italia Telecommunications, courtesy of the Thorrington family."

"Sugoi!!!! O'chibi's family friends sure are wealthy!" Eiji squealed.

"Then why the private jet, Sakaki-sensei?" Sanada asked.

"If you needed one, you could've just asked me." Atobe scoffed.

"You'll see about that when we arrive." Sakaki-sensei said.

Kirihara was busy exchanging IM's with someone in his laptop. They've been at it for almost a month now. With his help, Kirihara was able to fine tune his English.

((**Is Ryoma sleeping again?**))

Kirihara smirked. ((**Yes. I heard his senpais had them on a tough training schedule.))**

…

**((Heartless…but it'll do him good.))**

Ryoma opened an eye and saw Kirihara smiling like an idiot while typing on his laptop. The freshman smirked and peered on the screen.

**((I'll be looking forward to finally meeting you, Kirihara-senpai.))**

Ryoma struggled from repressing his chuckles. Something occurred to him which made him snicker. He reached behind Kirihara and flicked his ear hard.

"Ouch!"

It gave Ryoma some time to meddle with the IM exchange.

**((Yeah right, Syl. So much for your little cyber romance.))**

he looked away innocently just in time for Kirihara to turn back his attention on the screen, only to find himself facing a big emoticon doing some really rude hand gestures. He glanced at the Seigaku freshman and realized what happened.

**((It wasn't me. it was Ryoma who typed the last statement.))**

…

**((I know. the emoticon is for him.))**

Kirihara smirked and showed Ryoma the emoticon.

"Che! Idiot." Ryoma snorted.

**((Moron.))**

12 hours later…

The plane safely landed on a small air dock. The players soon got off the plane and gathered their things. What bothered them the most was the noise emanating from the other side of the mini-airport.

"Prepare yourselves." Sakaki-sensei said as a bunch of MIB's (men in black) promptly greeted them and surrounded them.

"**Good morning, Mr. Sakaki. Welcome to Palo Alto, California.**" A brown-haired middle-aged man greeted them.

"Ahh**, Mr. Steve, it's nice to see you again**." Sakaki-sensei replied. "These** are the Japanese team.**" He gestured to the tennis players.

"Ohayou gozaimaz!!!"

Mr. Steve was about to say something when…

"**Where the hell are they?" **

"**A bit further to the left, Dude said." **

"**RYOMA!!!! RIO-MA!!!!" **

Ryoma slapped his forehead in annoyance, seems like he knew what was going to happen next. "Oh no…" he muttered. He pushed his cart aside and braced his arms on his knees.

"Something wrong, Echizen-kun?" Fuji asked.

"Get out of the way." Ryoma muttered. Despite the fact that they have no idea what was happening, the cleared the path in front of Ryoma just in time to evade two big blurs shooting towards the freshman.

"RYOMA!!!!!!!!!!!"

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Ohtori stared at the broken pieces of the test tube on his table. 'Uh-oh…'

"Daijobou desu ka, Ohtori-kun?" his biology teacher asked.

The kind sophomore smiled shyly and started to clean up the mess. "It's ok sensei. I'll be more careful next time." He said as he gently picked up the shards of the broken glass. 'I really hope he's ok…' he mused as he looked outside to the clear blue sky.

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"Itai…"

"Echizen, are you ok?" Kirihara came forward to help him however; the two bodies on top of his freshman friend won't seem to bulge from their position.

"I'm fine…I-I just…need to…" Ryoma struggled to shove off the two boys off him. "Idiots." He cursed while staring daggers at the two attackers.

"Are you ok, Echizen?" Atobe asked worriedly, stopping himself from tearing the strangers off HIS Ryoma earlier.

"**Ne Ryoma, you haven't changed a bit…." **The handsome blonde smiled sweetly at the sulking Japanese boy.

"**You still have your Killer Eyes with you."** The bespectacled Yukimura-look alike added.

"**Young Master James! Young Master Sylvan!"** a huge, I mean really huge, black American hustled towards the three**. "Young Masters! What have you done to Young Master Ryoma?!"** he immediately pulled the two newbies up on their feet and started to dust off their clothes then proceeded to fuss over Ryoma.

"**What's going on here?"** Mr. Steve asked; clearly not please of the scene that occurred.

"**I'm sorry for the interruption but it seems that Young Masters James and Sylvan were not able to hold back their excitement regarding their best friend's arrival." **

"NANI?!"

The two boys smiled smugly at them. "Ohayou…"

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They were all stuck in a 1 hour ride to San Francisco inside the black limousine prepared for them. They were rather glad that they managed to get inside the car in one piece, especially Ryoma.

_Flashback_

_Their jaws dropped to the ground when they stepped outside the building. Blinding flashes of cameras and frantic reporters greeted them. The security personnel had to restrain them to keep them from throttling the group. What shocked them the most was the legions of kids waving banners of Ryoma, screaming "KAISER! KAISER!" at the top of their lungs, a marching band blaring on the other side and to their awe, a group of cheer leaders spelling out Ryoma's name._

_Ryoma glared at Sylvan and James. "I hate you." _

_The two just waved off Ryoma's statement. "We didn't do anything. They came in their own accord." _

"**_HERE COMES THE KAISER, THE KAISER HE'LL BEAT YOU UP!_**

**_K-A-I-S-E-R, CHILTON LET'S GO AND FIGHT! _**

_**FEEL THE HEAT! **_

**_GO CHILTON FIGHT! TEAM RED AND WHITE!!!"_**

"_I wanna go home…" Ryoma groaned. The maddening crowd grew restless the moment they came into the open area. It took about 20 MIB's to make sure they make it to the limo unscratched. _

"**_OH MY GOD THE UNSPEAKABLES ARE REUNITED!!!!!!" _**

"**_SENIOR BEAUCLAIRE'!!!!"_**

"_**SENIOR THORRINGTON!!!!"**_

" _**GRAND KAISER!!!!! YOU'RE SO COOL!!!!'**_

"_Ne, O'chibi…I never thought you're this popular here." Eiji glomped the poor freshman. _

"_Eiji-senpai, itai!" Ryoma complained. The rest of the players, on the other hand, were busy conversing with Sylvan and James who surprised them by being fluent in Japanese. _

_End of Flashback_

"Ne, Ryoma…" James shook him awake. The Japanese crowd marveled at his Japanese accent.

"WHAT?!" Ryoma snapped at him. James pouted at the harsh treatment.

" SYL-VAN!!!! Ryoma's being a big meanie!!!!!!" James cried.

"Wow…you two seems like experts in the Japanese language." Atobe commented.

James gave him a haughty look. "Of course. Chilton is an international academe so all students are required to be multi-lingual." He snuggled closer to Ryoma. "And besides, being very close to the Echizens is the basis of that. The first group family vacation was held in Japan. Right, Ryo?" he batted his eyes lashes at his best friend.

"You're such a whiny brat, Jamie. What do you want?" Ryoma frowned.

"The De Vera's are flying to Spain the day after tomorrow so it's a must that you meet them after the press conference. They will be watching the games then whole family is leaving after that." Sylvan gave Ryoma a meaningful glance. "You know what date is that, right?" he frowned a bit with what he saw sadness flashed in Ryoma's eyes.

"I know…" he frowned further. 'How could I forget?'

"So…how was school life without O'chibi around?" Eiji asked James. The handsome blonde boy turned to him with an air of arrogance that can rival Atobe's.

"Boring. We're in a two-month recuperating period after our last prank." His brilliant blue eyes sparkled in delight.

"Oh yeah…that one was really hard to pull off without Ryoma. We had to practice for a week." Sylvan said while flipping through the magazine he has. But it didn't escape the tensai's observation that he and Kirihara kept glancing at each other and smiling a bit.

"Aherm…"

They all turned to Sakaki-sensei.

"So you are the notorious Unspeakables that Principal Wartts was talking about." He said before taking a sip form his wine glass.

"Notorious?" Oshitari asked.

"Well, with Ryoma off to Japan we can't really live up to that name." James took a sip from his Ponta can. "I do not have the ability to stare down people and drive them away."

"But we're surviving." Sylvan added.

"What prank?" Ryoma suddenly asked. 'I don't seem to remember anything.'

"Oh remember you're 4th grade Science exhibit? The one called the Rainbow Ring of Fire?" James voiced perked up.

"Hmmm…"

"We've set ex-Principal Wartts'-for-now beloved Porsche Carrera on fire using your project."

"NANI?!?!?!?!?!"

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"Suppose they're landed safely?" Rinko looked out of their office window to the clear blue sky.

Nanjiroh slipped an arm around her waist. "I guess. However, their arrival would mean a great deal of annoyance to your son."

Rinko sighed. "That couldn't be helped, Anata. That couldn't be helped."

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"You set fire on your principal's car?!" Atobe, Eiji and Sengoku exclaimed. Sanada and Kirihara sported an expression that of swallowing a dead frog while Fuji, Sakaki-sensei and Oshitari were sporting shocked expression.

"Cool…" Ryoma broke the silence inside the limo.

"You think?" James pounced on Ryoma and glomped him. "Yey! We were able to produce only 4 colors though. It was very hard to achieve your seven colors." He snuggled closer to Ryoma.

"We managed to get away with it." Sylvan was now sporting a sinister grin. "The old bloke was over-reacting. We didn't even put a scratch on that piece of crap."

"S-so you mean…" Kirihara stammered.

"We just ignited a fire ring around the car. It only looked like the car's burning because the height of the flame went up to 4 feet." Sylvan told him with a rare smile that he reserves to special people. You could feel the tension inside the limo disappearing in a few seconds.

"But only four colors?" Ryoma looked disappointed.

"It was hard trying to proportionate the chemicals. We're not a science genius like you are. But we managed to ignite it without leaving traces. You could've seen Wartts' face. His color magnificently turned from red to purple to green." James let out a sighed. "It was so pretty."

"And you said ex-principal-for-now meaning…" Sakaki-sensei inquired.

"Oh that one was harsh." James had his Drama queen mode in check. "He was suspended for a month or two when the EXECOMM found out about his snaky deals to recruit St. Isues students and the non-liquidated books of accounts of the PTA investments and funds."

"James…" Sylvan muttered.

"Yes Sylvie?"

"You're gossiping again."

"Whatever." James scoffed. "That was the reason why Uncle Jiroh and Rinko were immediately called out by the hysterical parents since the Echizens are the legal counsel of the PTA. It was a spectacle actually, seeing how Aunt Rinko and Uncle Jiroh nearly made Wartts wet his pants during court representations." He flipped his long blonde tresses off his shoulders.

"Not good…" the Japanese players sans Ryoma muttered.

"Still no final verdict was given yet so he's suspended. Vice-principal Yang is the interim principal for now." James sighed. "Chilton has never experienced such power struggle in a hundred years. Even the CSL is on the rocks, having Kristina McPherson permanently removed from the position."

"You mean the blonde girl with glasses?" Fuji asked.

"Yep. I heard she created quite a scene when he flew to Japan." James latched himself to Ryoma once more. "Sorry we were not able to stop her."

Ryoma smiled a little at James' affectionate antics and patted his head in turn. "It's ok."

Very sad news indeed." Sanada muttered.

"After that her career and popularity went out the drain faster than you can say "Popolocrois". We were the ones spear-heading the hate campaign against her but we eventually stopped everything when things were getting out of hand." James said. Sylvan nodded in confirmation.

"Out of hand?" Oshitari prompted.

"You have seen how the students reacted towards us earlier right? Their obsessive fandom drove them to think that if they like or hate what we like or hate, they'll grow closer to us. Upon knowing that Ryo and Kristina got into a terrible rift, they started a hate campaign on their own." James sighed. "In the beginning it was just silly; low-class pranks so we tolerated it. They however crossed the line."

Ryoma's head jerked up. "Crossed the line?" his eyes narrowed. "What did they do?"

They could feel the tension going up one more as anger radiated from the freshman.

"They tried to harm her physically…as in…" James trailed off, looking at Sylvan for help.

"She almost got mugged and raped, Ryoma."

Ryoma's eyes started to constrict again and didn't notice that he's gripping James' arm a little tighter until his blonde best friend yelp in pain.

"Echizen!!!!" his senpais cried as Sanada tried to pry James off his death grip.

"What did you say?!" Ryoma whispered in outrage, obviously trying to calm himself.

" Douglas and his brainless minions tried to do her in, hoping they'll appear heroes in front of everyone so they cornered her two weeks ago in Elk St. it was a good thing that Rain saw them and alerted us immediately. We came just in time before something terrible happened. We beat them up into a pulp. Rain's gang came as reinforcements…" Sylvan trailed off when sobs echoed around the limo.

Ryoma snapped out of his predator state and realized that James was crying while wincing in pain. 'Oh shit I gripped it too hard!' Ryoma mentally berated himself. "Come here, James." He gently took the blonde boy in his arms. "I'm sorry." He muttered in his ear as he comforted the distressed boy. "I promise I won't do it again." Ryoma placed a chaste kiss on his forehead as James started to calm down.

"You have to watch your temper, Echizen." Sanada glared at him.

"He'll be alright." Sylvan said after he examined James' hand. "He's just too delicate. He's never been hit nor scolded nor yelled at." He smiled affectionately at the way Ryoma's whispering reassuring words into James' ears. "He may be a man-bitch but he's our dainty little prince." He dodged instantly to avoid being him by a Ponta can.

"Arrogant, stoic bastard." James glared at him.

"Whiny, man-bitch." Sylvan retorted.

"ENOUGH!!!!" Ryoma's voiced echoed inside the limo. The glass window slowly lowered down, revealing Dude's concerned face.

"Young Masters are you quarreling again?" he asked.

"Nah…we're just expressing how we miss each other." Ryoma smirked.

"Saa…" Fuji muttered.

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It was a blur of a day for the eight unfortunate Japanese teens. Aside from Atobe who loved the attention, the rest were exhausted.

They started filling out of the Silver Pavilion of Clariel Hotel. Even Kikumaru was unable to keep up with the pace of the day.

"Nya guys…I'm so dead tired." Eiji complained.

"You go ahead to your quarters." Sakaki-sensei told them.

"And don't forget about the courtesy dinner later." James said. "Our parents are so excited to see you all." He added. He turned to face Ryoma however the boy was lost in his thoughts once more.

"You ok, Ryo?" James asked.

"Huh? Ahh…yeah I'm fine." He pulled his cap down to hide his face. "I'll be in the gents. I'll catch up with you later." With this, he disappeared before they could even answer.

"Is he ok or something?" Kirihara asked worriedly, torn between going after his friend and staying with the rest of the gang with Sylvan. He jerked a little when a small, warm hand held his own.

"He'll be ok. He's a big boy now." Soft, steel gray eyes looked up to him.

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Ryoma bolted into the nearest male restroom and after checking for occupants, whom he found none, he locked the door. He took off his cap haphazardly and began vigorously washing his face.

"Fuck!" Ryoma cursed when he caught glimpse of his reflection on the vanity mirror. He saw the same troubled face he had two years ago…two years full of bloody memories that he wished to be taken away form him. 'It hurts. For heaven's sake it's been two whole years, two fucking whole years and why do the shadows of the past still haunt me? Why? Why? Why?' he slammed his fist on the vanity sink in his frustration.

"Aww…it's this interesting."

Ryoma's head jerked up only to see Kevin leaning against one of the cubicles with a mocking smile on his lips.

"Did the past already caught up with you, Ryoma-kun?"

"What do you want?" Ryoma snapped at the intruder. How he wasn't able to detect his presence, he doesn't know.

"Nothing. I'm just enjoying the look on your face right now." Kevin smiled maniacally as he sashayed towards the Japanese boy. "Do you feel like the memories are choking you to death? That you feel like you're rehashing the scene by walking along the same halls, riding the same car, taking the same footsteps that _he_ took." Ryoma clenched his fists at his very words. "Do you feel like every mirror in this hotel has eyes that follow you wherever you go? Do you feel like everywhere you turn, this place, this country is like a memoir of young Juan Carlos De Vera?"

Ryoma's cat-like eyes widened upon hearing Carlos' name. That very moment, a fleeting image of the redhead whom he loved dearly appeared behind Kevin, smiling the same smile that Ryoma had so adored for 9 years, the same long, silky red locks cascading elegantly on his shoulders and those eyes, those soulful green eyes which Ryoma envied, gazing at him with utmost tenderness.

Ryoma paled upon seeing the image. An unexplainable amount of anger boiled in his gut as his pupils started to constrict. With an animalistic smile, the brunette moved with finesse and strength as he shoved the blonde kid against the wall and pinned him in place with his left arm. Kevin was so stunned, his eyes shone is urgent fear as Ryoma breathed down his neck. It seems like Ryoma was suddenly possessed by an animal.

"ACK!"

"Shut up you insolent fool!!!" Ryoma pressed harder against Kevin's chest, making the blonde boy choke. "Do you know why I got these scary, unearthly eyes?" his lips stretched into a maniacal grin. Kevin could not answer as the air he's taking in decreases. He could only whimper and cower under Ryoma's wrath.

"I got these eyes when my idiot of a father lost me on a camping trip in one of America's dense jungles. A female lynx found me; a poor, fear-stricken 6-yr old boy, all plump and soft, ready for dinner." He stared down Kevin who was squirming under his presence. "In my plight for survival, I willed my body to copy anything that is of the lynx, silently wishing that I become a lion on the spot but to my amazement, the animal was taken aback. For two days, I was in her cave, treated as is I'm her cub. With her I learned how to tap into my animal instincts, my primitive sense of life. My parents found me, shocked that I was still in one piece. They had to sedate my surrogate mother so that they could rescue me." Ryoma leaned in closer until there was only an inch between there faces.

"It was how I have these. It may be six years ago but I'm telling you, White Trash, that I could maul you right now with everything that I have learned from the lynx." The brunette let out a cruel laughter before he released the poor stricken boy. Kevin seemed to have lost his strength as he collapse on the floor.

"One more word coming out of your mouth about what happened between me and Carlos and I'm ripping out your tongue with my bare hands." With this, Seigaku's famed freshman yanked the door open and disappeared.

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Later that evening, the Japanese Senbatsu regulars finally met the "Buena Familia" sans the Echizens who backed them up. They were quite amazed, even Atobe, at the humility that the three families showed to them, despite the fact that they are one of the richest people they have known. They were invited into an informal dinner, with the American Senbatsu Team as well, in the Golden Pavilion. How they were able to seal out the paparazzi, we could only guess.

"Come to think of it, the families seemed a bit color-coded." Sengoku pointed out after conversing with Mathieu, Sylvan's older brother.

Yes. It seems like they really are color-coded. The De Veras are a bunch of redheads except for one cute 7 yr-old blonde girl named Estrella who doted on Ryoma and followed him wherever he goes. The Thorringtons are all blondes with ethereal sapphire eyes. Eiji even feel victim to the twin's "Guess Who" game and was ask to do some acrobatics. And lastly, the Beauclaires have this amazing shade of blue for the hair, which Kirihara adored the most and beautiful eyes that seemed to change colors from gray to brown or gray to blue when hit by a light.

Aside from the appearance, they varied according to behaviors as well. the De Veras were the most cordial among the three families, Rodrigo and Estelle with all four (A/N: more revelations in the next chapters) children, Dominic, Antonio, Stephan and Estrella roaming around and starting conversations here and there. The Thorringtons on the other hand loved the attention their getting. Warren and Janet with four children, Rayver, Hyacinth and Ericka (twins) and James basked love of the adoring crowd. And lastly, the Beauclaires were the quiet ones, convincing them that the silent trait runs in the family. Florenz and Cassandra with three children, Mathieu, Alexandra and Sylvan just quietly mingled with the guests, answering curtly to the questions raised and would listen to what others are talking about.

They were a colorful mix of characters but what amused them the most was Sylvan with Kirihara in tow, as if the young Yukimura was introducing the poor Japanese boy to everyone like he's something special.

…

Surprise….and he really is….

Unbeknownst to them, Ryoma disappeared from the ballroom and retreated to his chambers. He was settles comfortable on a huge chair by the terrace, a lighted cigarette on one hand and a glass of Zombie on the other. The brunette was in deep thought as the smoke lingered to caress his being. 'Why do I have to go through this pain? Why?'

Flashback

" _Ca-"_

"_I don't know why I said that, Rio. But now that I did, I want you to know that it's the honest truth." Green eyes gazed at him with fear and insecurity. _

_Fireworks filled in the background as the four families celebrated the New Year. No one among them noticed that the two slipped out of the party and went up the temple on their own. _

"_But Carlos…we're both boys." Ryoma bit his lip, wishing that he hadn't said that one. _

"_I know! Didn't you think I'd pull you aside and made you swore secrecy if I didn't realize that what I'm feeling for you, this love that I have for you is a taboo?" Carlos whispered in outrage, his knuckles turning white from his death grip. "All I wanted is for you to know. We don't have to change just because I've said something stupid." He pouted those beautiful bow-shaped lips. _

"_But we're best friends, CJ! Something will surely change!" Ryoma was in an inner turmoil too. "You're my best friend." He glued his eyes to the ground._

_James felt the tears came rolling down his flushed cheeks. "I guess I'm just your best friend. I am merely just your friend, Ryoma." he felt his whole body shudder in the cold breeze of the night. Ryoma fought the urge to take him in his arms and stop the tears from escaping his beautiful eyes. "a-and I've been so stupid to have made the biggest mistake o-of falling in love with you, Ryoma! Coz I'm just your best friend." He bowed down low and muttered, "Gomen nasai!" and turned around to run. _

_A hand immediately grabbed his and yanked him into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry. Please don't go. Please." Carlos' eyes widened at the sound of Ryoma's sobs. "I didn't mean to ay those mean things to you. I-I was just scare to tell you that I f-feel the same way too b-because you might just be drugged by the twins or something." Arms tightened around him. "Stay. I don't want to be just your best friend. I-I f-feel the same way too." Golden orbs looked into him, shinning with apprehension. _

"_Ryoma never cries…" Carlos started._

"_And Carlos never gets mad…" _

_The two succumb into each other's embrace as they marked the start of their innocent romance. They've been like that for a few minutes, silently listening to each other's breaths when…_

"_How are we supposed to tell everyone?" Carlos suddenly asked. _

"_Come to think of it, since I'm an only child my dad will go ballistics." Ryoma added. _

"_Yeah…care to explain?" they turned around and saw everyone watching them intently._

"_Uh-oh…" _

End of Flashback

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A/N: argh!!!!!!!!! So hard!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to do this then this…argh!!!! I'm going insane!!!!!!!! Please review!!!!!


	19. photograph

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Photograph". Nickelback does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

P/S: I've noticed that I haven't revised the last chapter thoroughly and there are a lot of typos. Gomen minna-san! It's just that I have my family health care plan, scripts for the musical play and other papers to pass. I promise I will polish this chapter. Thanks for your consideration. Oh yeah…..PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another P/S: I won't give details on the Senbatsu matches. I tend to get overboard when doing those things, and besides the game tennis is not the focal point of this story. Gomen!!!! But I'll do my best in putting the games in the future chapters. Setting of this chapter is after the Senbatsu games, same results with the anime.

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Japan rejoiced when Ryoma and the others won yet another trophy. But it's not only they who were able to win something. The Griffey brothers won back their freedom from Mr. Baker's clutches and Kevin and Ryoma were able to reconcile their two-decade tennis rift that started from their fathers. Kevin however was not able to recovery that easily from the bathroom incident. He's now very cautious in everything especially when Ryoma is involved. The thing that surprised them the most was discovering that Ryoma and the Griffey brothers were old acquaintances for reasons that Ryoma still wouldn't want to divulge.

There was a large festivity the night after the games as they celebrated their victory and a happy despedida for the De Veras who were flying to Spain in a few hours. Unbeknownst to them, Ryoma was the only one who's not in a happy mood and was in fact bidding the De Veras a tearful goodbye.

Flashback

"_Ryo…"_

"_I'm really sorry Uncle Igo." Ryoma sobbed into his shirt._

_Rodrigo sighed and tightened his arms around the distressed boy. "It was not your fault Ryoma." he kneeled to be able to look straight into the boy's eyes. "We never blamed you for what happened. All of us have been moving on from the past, even with just little progress." He placed a soft kiss on Ryoma's forehead._

"_Even if it hurts sometimes, seeing your youthful face made us realize what Carlos has done. Being with you is like having him back." Estelle gently rubbed the boy's back. _

"_Don't cry now, Ryoma." Stephan said. "We know that he's happy."_

_Ryoma's sobs died down. _

"_Ryo-nii-chan, I will make sure that abuella sends a fresh boxed via UPS of her new and improve cream puffs so you'll cheer up." Estrella chimed in, causing everyone to laugh. _

End of flashback

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It was 4:30 in the morning and Eiji was still in lala land when someone rudely jumped on his bed, causing his body to bounce up and land perfectly on the carpeted floor.

"Itai…" the Seigaku acrobat whimpered.

"Sorry, Eiji-senpai but everybody is up already. We'll be leaving. You can sleep in the car."

Eiji rubbed his eyes and soon James' cheerful face came into view. "James-kun? What's happening?" Eiji groaned. He was dead tired from the games and the party. All he wanted to do now is go back to his warm cozy bed and drift off to lala land. But James told him otherwise.

"Everybody needs to be if we want to make the most of your last day here is L.A." James got off the bed and started tossing Eiji's things back to his luggage. "We need to maximize the time." The blonde boy added.

"Why are you packing my things? Aren't we coming back here?" Eiji asked dumbly. James just stared at him for while before turning his attention back to his task.

"Sugoi! Sylvan-kun said we're going to spend the night at the Echizen's Mansion in Glendale!!" Sengoku suddenly appeared in his room and jumped on his bed with glee.

"Oh?" Eiji stared dumbly at his teammate. "Ooh…"

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There was a slight commotion inside the limo as the nine kids set off to see Ryoma's hometown, Glendale. Atobe, Sylvan and Sanada were already sporting murderous glares while Oshitari, James and Kirihara have a look of sheer annoyance on their faces. It was as if only Fuji and Sengoku were enjoying the ride. Their problem? A certain redhead acrobat who can seem to shut up for a least a few seconds.

"Nya!!!! But where is O'chibi?!" Eiji brawled out for the nth time. Clearly Ryoma's not with them and the two American boys wouldn't give him sufficient information.

"Eiji-san, I already told you." James let out an exasperated sigh. "Ryoma took off a few hours ago. He'll be meeting us their in Glendale."

"Nande?!?!"

Sylvan sighed. 'How can Ryoma take his brawls?' he shifted from his comfortable position next to Kirihara to face the hyperactive boy. "He must see to it that the house is sparkling clean." His lips curved up into a small smirk, clearly pleased of his doing.

"Thank god for giving us our peaceful time back." Atobe scoffed and went back to his beauty sleep.

It wasn't until two hours later that Sylvan shook them awake once again, telling them that they've just arrived in Protected Pines. They marveled at the sizes of the houses around them.

"Wow…this is a place for those rich and famous." Eiji breathed to the windshield.

"That's quite obvious now." James said as the car came to a stop in front of a gorgeous Old English-style mansion.

"That's our house." James pointed.

"Looks fine to me." Atobe commented.

"And the lavish white house next to it?" Fuji asked.

"That would be mine." Sylvan muttered. The door opened and they stepped out one by one.

"Sugoi!!!" Sengoku and Eiji muttered.

"Good morning!" the turned around and saw James' mother, beaming at them. "Welcome to our humble abode." And with this, the Japanese boys were taken to a tour in the elegant, extravagant household of the Thorringtons.

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The sun had long risen and yet he couldn't seem to find the courage or strength to get up and leave. His eyes were glued to the letters cut into stone. How his body itched for the things that helped him calm down at times like this but he vowed to stay away from cigarettes and liquors for the time being. Today is a very special and he intended not to mark it with his vicious vices.

"How have you been holding up there, Carlos? It's been two years already? Have you made a lot of friends?" Ryoma asked. "You know, I have a boyfriend now. It was as if your wishes came true, for me to find someone who will love me more than you did or more than you ever will; someone whom I will love dearly more than I have loved you. Are you happy for me?"

The howls of the winds gave him no answer. 'Stupid…I should've known better than to try and talk to a stone.'

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They toured the Thorrington Mansion and were now inside the Beauclaire's haven. They've seen Sylvan's "Wreck Room" and marveled at the gadgets inside. Who would've though a 13 yr

old boy could hack through NASA's main frame and get away unnoticed? They've been to James' sanctuary as well and were amazed at the paintings and clay sculptures. James' mom would've wanted them to tour the De Vera's mansion as well but it won't be a polite thing to do since the whole family is in Spain as they speak.

Not long after they were taken inside the Echizen's mansion which looked like it came right out of a lifestyle magazine. Despite the fact that the family was gone for a year, the house still looked magnificent.

" Some folks call it the Rainbow Mansion or the Glass house since almost 50 of the structure is made of glass." Nana, the care-taker told them. It turns out that the Echizens left the property to their trusted help for almost 15 years. Now that the family is in Japan, they allowed Nana's family to reside in the mansion.

"The reflection from the pool under the sun makes a beautiful rainbow reflection on the glass." Janet told the boys. "The neighboring kids fell in love with it the moment they saw the reflection on the house. This is where they go to play." She added.

"So basically you all grew up together." Sanada asked James.

"Yes. We've been together since we're still babies. We vowed, from cradle to grave." James told him.

"Oh sush honey. No talking about such things." Janet told to her son.

Fuji's gaze wandered and saw a lot of picture of the Ryoma with a certain handsome redhead. "Hmmm…"

"By the way Sylvan-dear, where is my young master?" Nana asked the blue-haired boy. Everybody turned to him for an answer. Fuji noticed that Sylvan, James and Janet turned a little pale.

"Ummm…"

"Tadaima."

They turned around and saw Ryoma by the door. He looked haggard and sleepless. He looks pale and his dark looks fell haphazardly on his face.

"Where have you been, darling?" Janet let out a sigh of relief before taking Ryoma in her arms. The relieved expression on her face changed when Ryoma whispered something to her.

"I'll go and make you some breakfast then." Nana said and left but not before she gave Ryoma a warm hug.

"I'll help you, Nana." Janet said and followed her suit.

"Where have you been Echizen?" Atobe asked worriedly as Ryoma flopped down the sofa. The freshman just shrugged and succumbed deeper into the confines of the furniture.

"Ryoma, Atobe-san just asked you where you have been." Kirihara sat beside his small body.

"out." a muffle answer came.

The sad, uneasy look on Sylvan and James' face didn't escape Fuji's eyes. "I'm just curious…we haven't seen a bit of Carlos De Vera until now." He spoke up. His curiosity intensified when he saw the shocked expression of Ryoma's best friends.

"Uhhmmmm…" James stammered while Sylvan kept his eyes on the ground. A few seconds of silence reined the living room. Soon Ryoma moved from his prone position. He held everyone's gaze.

"Yeah! Isn't he your best friend too?" Eiji added.

'Something's not right here.' Atobe, Kirihara and Fuji were thinking of the same thing.

James gave Sylvan a nervous glance. He could tell that his stoic friend is holding his breath, as if waiting for a bomb to explode.

"He's in Spain." Ryoma suddenly spoke up.

The two stared at him as if he just announced that he's jumping off the building. 'What the fuck are you telling them?!' Sylvan wanted to shake Ryoma awake but he restrained himself. He caught James' eyes and began a silent conversation.

'I think he doesn't want them to get involved, Syl.'

'But he's lying bluntly towards them!'

'The more they know, the more the wounds will resurface.' James closed his eyes. 'I don't want to see him like that again.'

"In Spain? Oh so that's why his family left, right? To see him?" Sengoku asked.

"Y-yeah." James answered.

'They're hiding something.' The tensai studied the three.

"Why don't we do upstairs and see Ryoma's Wreck Room." Sylvan grabbed Kirihara's hand and practically dragged his boyfriend upstairs while James ushered the players to follow the two.

Fuji help Ryoma's gaze a few seconds more before following after them. He took one last look at a particular picture wherein Carlos has his arms around Ryoma before climbing up the stairs.

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They were shocked to see what kind of a wreck room Ryoma has. They all thought and believed it'll be a room full of tennis stuff since they knew the boy was a tennis-addict. They didn't expect, however that Ryoma was a science freak. His wreck room looks like a small science laboratory complete with chemicals, microscopes and other science-related equipment. It took a few minutes before they could all recover and snicker at their discovery. And once again, there was another picture of Ryoma and Carlos together.

After the short tour of the house, they went down for a festive breakfast. They all expected that James' mom doesn't know anything about the kitchen but were shocked to find out that she cooked almost everything, despite the impression she gave them that she's a pampered queen.

They sat down to a feast and yet Ryoma's mood didn't change. Fuji was hoping Janet would notice and tell him off but he was disappointed when the woman just smiled sadly at his kohai.

Ryoma stared blankly at his plate while unconsciously toying with his veggies.

Flashback

"_It was nice that our parents finally approve of us." Carlos leaned to rest his head on Ryoma's shoulders. _

"_I know. But I think there's something wrong with James and Sylvan." Ryoma answered. _

_Carlos gasped. "No way! OMG! Are we going to lose our friendship?" _

"_You're totally over-reacting CJ." Ryoma rolled his eyes. _

"_But Rio! This is serious!" Carlos exclaimed. The door opened right after he said that and soon the other half of the Unspeakables came in looking glum._

_James and Sylvan flopped on the sofa across the new couple. _

"_You guys…" Carlos attempted._

"_We just want to lay down a few rules regarding this…this…" James seemed at a loss for words. _

"_Evolution of relationship." Sylvan supplied the right term. _

"_Right." James nodded. _

"_Now wait a minute." Ryoma held his hands. "What is going on here? Are you trying to be judgmental on us?" he was getting irritated by the minute. _

"_I don't think it's being judgmental Ryoma." Sylvan crossed his legs. _

"_Then what is it? Are we offending you that much?" Carlos was in a verge of tears. _

"_No idiot." James scoffed. "We're ok with couple thingy. It's just that…" he trailed off, showing Ryoma is puppy-eyed look. _

_Sylvan sighed. "We all know that we are the least favorite among the family, those deprived of attention and love. All three of us are the same Carlos and…" _

"_And your point is?" Ryoma prompted. _

"_Ryoma is the one who gives us that. He's been the one compensating for our parents' incapability." He held Ryoma's challenging gaze. "James and I just afraid that since you're together now, Ryoma's attention for us will lessen." _

_Silence reigned over Ryoma's wreck room._

"_You're jealous of me being Ryoma's boyfriend?" Carlos suddenly choked out. _

"_What?! No! I mean—kinda." James stammered. _

_Ryoma raised an eyebrow. _

"_Not that way moron." Sylvan threw a pillow at the Japanese boy. "We're just scared that we'd be shoved into one corner again." _

_Ryoma sighed. "Ok, ok I understand." He placed a comforting arm on Carlos' shoulders. "Calm down." He turned to his other friends. "What are your rules?" _

_For the first time since they came in, James' face lightened up. "Well, to avoid jealousy and attention deprivation we came up with this." He took out a piece of paper and gave it to Ryoma and Carlos. It took a few seconds for them to finish skimming the piece of paper before…_

"_WHAT THE HELL?!?!" the couple exclaimed in disbelief. _

"_We won't settle for anything else." Sylvan retorted. _

"_But…but…" words failed the handsome redhead. _

"_This is absurd." Ryoma shook his head. _

"_But you have to or everything will be ruined!" James cried bitch-mode in check. "Ryoma is like the mother of this group. Of course he'll give more to you and less to us and we can't accept it." _

"_And it's only applicable if we're together." Sylvan said. _

_Ryoma and Carlos looked at each other, seemed like they're at a loss for solutions. Carlos took a deep breath and held Ryoma's hand. "I guess I think it'll be alright." He turned to smile at his two BFF's. "I don't want them to feel left out." _

"_Aww you're so nice CJ." James came over and glomped the redhead. _

"_So how about it Ryoma?" Sylvan asked. _

"_Looks like you win this time." Ryoma sighed. It only took seconds before all four of them ended up in a tangle of arms and legs as they engaged into one of their friendly UFC bouts one more._

End of Flashback

"Ryoma…Ryoma!"

Ryoma snapped out of his daze and realized that everyone was staring at him. "Sumimasen, minna-san."

"It's ok honey." Janet patted his head. "I know you've had a rough and tiring week."

Atobe studied Ryoma's profile closely. 'I've never seen him so distressed before. Raving mad, yes but not like this. I never thought I'd see the day Ryoma Echizen is at a loss.' He muttered. 'Hmm….so intriguing, future koibito. It makes me itch in wanting to know what's on your mind.'

"We were just talking about going to Chilton after breakfast. You know, show your senpai-tachi around our beloved alma mater." James told him.

"You go ahead. I'm not in the mood." Ryoma replied. 'God I feel so lethargic!'

"But they need you right now." Sylvan suddenly spoke up. He's been quiet ever since the living room incident.

"Who does?" Ryoma asked.

"Everyone." Sylvan sighed. "The school, the CSL and most especially the tennis club. They need you more than anyone right now."

"And you can show your senpai-tachi how the club works." Janet added. "Show them why Chilton is recognized to have the best sports program in the state of California."

"Nya O'chibi, come show us." Eiji pleaded.

"I'll be nice to see how the kids play." Sanada added.

"It'll be very educational." Sengoku added.

"Maybe Echizen doesn't want to baby-sit a couple of senpais." Fuji said.

Ryoma pouted at his comment. Something tells him that something's off with the tensai.

"Che! It's not like every one of us is Kikumaru." Oshitari snorted. "Right Atobe?"

Everybody waited for the diva to answer. 'Hmmm…maybe siding with him will make us grow closer…' Atobe mused. "I don't think so. By the looks of it, Echizen is not in any state to accompany us." The Hyotei captain winked at the freshman whose scowl just intensified.

"Aww…O'chibi!!!" Eiji whined.

"Ok, ok!" Ryoma let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm going."

"Yosh!!!!!" Eiji and Sengoku cheered.

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Ohtori was eating his lunch with his senpai-tachi when his cell phone rang.

"You better answer that Ohtori-kun." Gakuto told him.

"Hai, senpai." Ohtori nodded and went outside the room to answer the phone.

"Moshi!"

"Chou-chou…"

"Eh? Ryo-kun? Wha-is something wrong? Why'd you sound so sad?" Ohtori fired the questions one after the other. His heart skipped a bit upon hearing his boyfriend's voice.

"I'm just tired and senpai-tachi had coaxed me to come with them to tour the city." Ryoma replied.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to." Ohtori told him.

"Nah…it's ok. They promised to behave though so it seems fine to me I guess."

Ohtori craned his neck to check for some eaves-dropper and when found none; he dropped his voice into a whisper. "Did Atobe-buchou do something to you?" he felt foolish to ask for such a thing but he wanted to know. He felt relieved to here the soft chuckle from the other line.

"No Chou-chou. I never knew you're such a paranoid person." Ryoma said.

Ohtori could feel his cheeks burning up. "Well I had to make sure you're safe right?"

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Thanks for your time koibito."

"Think nothing of it." Ohtori said. "Why'd you call anyway?"

"Nothing." He heard Ryoma sigh. "I just wanted to hear you voice. Not having to hear it for days made my heart aches."

Ohtori felt his heart's going to explode at the statement. 'Oh god he's so sweet!!!!' he did his best to calm down. "Me too Ryo-kun. Hearing your voice made me realize how much I miss you."

"Same here." There was a pause. "Will you be at the airport tomorrow?"

"I'll be there before anyone else." Ohtori said.

"Great. I can't want to see you Chou-chou."

"Me too."

"And Chou-chou…"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you."

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The phone call with Ohtori made him relax a little and forget the fact that he's being hauled into the limo with his tennis bag.

"Don't worry almost all students from 4th to 6th grades know how to speak Japanese." James told them.

"Oh that is a refreshing thought." Eiji let out a sigh of relief. The glass window lowered and Dude's face peeked in.

"Shall we wait for you outside the school, Young Masters?"

"It's ok Dude. We'll be touring so it'll be better if we go in foot." James told him.

"We're here." Sylvan announced. The door opened and one by one they got out of car and were frozen stunned.

"What's going on?" Ryoma asked irritably. "Come on Eiji-senpai, move."

"Wow…" the boys sans Atobe and the Unspeakables muttered in amazement as they stare at the huge, gothic building in front of them.

_Ad Vivum in Aeternum, Academia et Kiltoren!_

One by one the students came out to see who arrived and when they recognized it was Ryoma, they all went crazy and pooled around the poor stricken Japanese players. Ryoma's senpai-tachi was shocked/stunned at the sudden gush of people but it seems to Ryoma and his friend that they're used to it.

"ENOUGH!!!!!!!" Ryoma bellowed and everyone, just like in the movies, froze. "You better get back to your classrooms or all of you will be given a month's detention."

With this, the crowd dispersed immediately as if the place had been vacuum-cleaned.

"Good." James snorted. "Shall we proceed?"

They took the Japanese team into a tour in the Administrations building (the big gothic one) and introduced them to the officials. They were warmly accepted by the interim principal, Principal Yang and told them to feel free to check the school out. But when they went out of her office they found out that Ryoma was nowhere to be found.

"Damn he slipped through our fingers!" James groaned.

"It's ok. You're here." Fuji told them.

And so they continued their tour. They marveled at the achievements that the Unspeakables garnered throughout their stay in Chilton. They've learned that James was the star player and captain of the soccer team, that Sylvan is the youngest grand master of the Wushu Club and Carlos was the captain of the 3-time national champions swimming club.

They were now walking along the west wing of the Admin. Building.

"This is where CSL offices are located." James said and pushed through the antique wooden doors. They were greeted by a handful of students going to and fro in a panic mood.

"So this is CSL?" Atobe asked.

"They're really on the rocks these days." Sylvan told him.

"I wonder how Nika and Teyshawn are doing…" James muttered.

They showed them the offices for the Silver Collars and met the "Understudies".

"**Senior Beauclaire**!" A bespectacled brunette nervously greeted them as they entered the Office of Finance and Audit.

"Aww Ralph you're such a nervous wreck!" James regarded him as if he's a little boy.

"**I'm sorry—**"the boy started.

"We have Japanese guests, Stevenson." Sylvan said and the boy's eyes winded in awe at their company. He apologized profusely and started speaking in Japanese.

"Sumimasen!"

"It's ok." The Japanese team answered.

"Where are Suarez and Marasui?" James asked as he flipped through the book of accounts that's on top of the auditor's table.

"Since Senior Echizen's arrival they've been on edge." Ralph replied. "They're having panic attacks here and there."

"How come?" Atobe asked.

"Well, since McPherson's impeachment they're the ones who took up the post of interim Chancellors. It's pointless to appoint another one since we're nearing the end of the term." Ralph explained.

"Let's go see them." James said. They followed him outside but were found out that the office was locked. Then a girl wearing a Bronze collar approached them.

"**They went outside, Minister Stevenson**." She said.

"To where?" Ralph asked.

"I** heard them talking about stalking at the tennis club**." Someone who passed by said.

James sighed. "To the tennis club then."

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The boys were amazed by how big Chilton is. Aside from the sports facilities itself, each club has its own small building, complete with changing room for both sexes, conference room and offices.

"Chilton Tennis Club is a merge of both sexes. Only one captain oversees the club together with the secretary and faction leaders." James explained as they walked along the green hedge that leads to the prestigious club.

"Faction leaders?" Oshitari asked.

"Since both males and females are in one club, they placed a faction leader to organize them. You cannot have a boy go inside the female locker room or vice-versa right?" Ralph told them.

"Ohh…."

"So what about you, Ralph?" Fuji smiled at the boy. "What sports do you play?"

The boy flushed red at the suddenly attention given to him. "Ummm…well…"

"We made it a point to take in understudies that are from our clubs. Stevenson was Carlos' so basically he came from the swim club. Suarez was a member of the soccer club as well. Marasui was a student of Sylvan in Wushu while McPherson was Ryoma's protégée from the tennis club." James explained.

"She was his protégée?" Atobe asked.

"McPherson made it a point in her life to revere Ryoma in all ways. She did her best to be just like him." Sylvan said. "Even her playing style is a copy of Ryoma's."

"So she knows how to do twist serve too?" Eiji asked.

"And the split step?" Sengoku added.

"Just like the master." somebody spoke up. They turned around and saw a pretty Haitian girl with caramel-colored hair with a handsome black American kid with a nicely shaved head.

"There you are!" James hugged the boy.

"It's great to see you Senior James." The boy replied and hugged the blonde back.

"Aren't they cute? It's ebony and ivory." Sengoku cooed. The two boys just chuckled.

"Why are you out here, Marasui?" Sylvan turned to the Haitian girl.

The girl sighed. "Being cooped up in the office freaks me out." she said. "And besides, we had to make sure everything ok after the memorial mass for—"she trailed off when Sylvan threw her a piercing glare. "A-after the memorial mass for our dearly departed teachers." She smattered.

"Oh we forgot to introduce you guys!" James suddenly chimed in with a nervous smile on his lips. "This is my understudy, Teyshawn Suarez. He's the Minister of External Affairs and captain of the soccer club."

The boy flashed them an alluring smile. "Ohayou. Congratulations for winning the Senbatsu games."

"thanks." the Japanese boys chorused.

"And this is Anika Marasui. She is Sylvan's understudy and the Minister of Internal Affairs. She's the captain of the Wushu club." The girl gave a bow then winked at them.

"I just had to ask you this, Marasui-san…" Atobe started.

"Sure thing…"

"Are you Japanese?" the question was soon followed by a hefty giggle.

"You're not the only one who asked her that." Ralph grimaced.

"I'm Haitian." Anika said after recovering from the fits of giggles. "And he's not African. He's a Brazilian." She gestured to Teyshawn.

"Oh so just like Kuwahara-senpai." Kirihara muttered.

"Who?" Teyshawn asked.

"Nothing. You just remind me of someone." Kirihara told him.

"Have you seen Echizen?" Fuji suddenly asked.

"We saw him enter the club a few minutes ago." Teyshawn told them.

"Let's get him." and they entered the gates.

"Wow…they have a very nice property for a club—"

"Hey isn't that statue looks just like O'chibi?" Eiji cut Oshitari off when they entered the gates and saw a carved marble statue of a kid who looks just like Ryoma in a forehand attack stance.

"That's him alright." Ralph said. "Got it blessed last month. It was made in commemoration of the Grand Kaiser's contribution not only to the club but to the whole institution."

"Wow…I can understand that you revere him like a god but I personally didn't expect this one." Sanada muttered. They heard the door of the clubhouse opened and saw a male Bronze collar rushing out.

"**What's going on**?" Sylvan asked, making the boy stop.

"**The Grand Kaiser is inside…**" the boy panted.

"**And?**" James asked.

"…**he's in a very foul mood.** **Coach Williams actually asked me to get the two of you to intervene.**"

"Uh-oh…not good." Anika muttered.

"What did he say?" Kirihara asked her.

"He said that Senior Echizen is already inside and in a very bad mood." She turned to Ralph and Teyshawn. "I guess he already found out of the modifications Ms. McBitch did to the club."

"Let's get inside already." Sylvan spoke out, and then pushed Ryoma's senpai-tachi inside the building.

"We better hurry or this will be a bloody massacre." James said.

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"And what made you think you have the right to change the policies?!" Ryoma bellowed to the group of students lined up in front of him. He could clearly see each of them flinched at his words. Coach Williams was helplessly standing behind the boy knowing that Ryoma came back as the Grand Kaiser and the former captain and there's clearly nothing that she could do since he's considered to be of higher position than her.

There were sounds of hurried footsteps and soon Sylvan and the others came in, looking much tensed. A hand shot up from the varsity line-up. "Sir, permission to speak, sir!"

"Speak!" Ryoma snapped.

"It was ex-Chancellor McPherson's orders to follow a modified training program." The boy answered.

"And for what reason, Webber?" Ryoma's eyes narrowed at the information.

"According to hearsays, she did it to pamper the recruits from St. Isues so that they won't leave the club. Ex-principal Wartts backed up her decision."

Ryoma turned to Kristina who was shaking from head to toe. "Is that true, McPherson?" the boy hissed at the blonde girl.

"Grand Kaiser, I did with the club's best interest in mind—"

"And you didn't follow the varsity selection procedures, am I correct?"

"Yes sir, however—"

"Let me ask all of you." Ryoma cut her off as he turned his attention back to the whole club. 3rd graders looked like they were about to wet their pants. Some of them who joined the club after Ryoma graduated didn't have any experience of that kind of a leader the boy is. "Is McPherson a part of the Allied Sports Commission who made the sacred training program of Chilton University?"

"Sir, no, sir!"

"Ok…is ex-principal Wartts a member?"

"Sir, no, sir!"

"Then why the hell you let them change the module that has been established 50 years ago without any consult to the ASC?!?!" Ryoma yelled. His outburst caused some of the younger members to dissolve to tears and since they're still in formation, all they could do is let the tears flow silently.

"Calm down Ryoma." Sylvan called out. He stepped forward and placed a hand on his tensed shoulders.

"How can I calm down, Sylvan?! Everything that this club stands for is being neglected for the sake of two imbeciles!" Ryoma's eyes constricted again, making some of the club members to back up in fright especially the two players from St. Isues. "You have smeared the very soul of this club which our alumni had pursued until the end." He took a deep breath. "One team, one swing! That is what we stand for. You cannot bask in the glory of victory if you know that the welfare of the members is being jeopardized!"

"Ryoma calm down!!" James restrained the boy from causing bodily harm to anyone. Sanada and Atobe stepped in and helped the poor blonde in keeping O'chibi from initializing a killing spree. It took a few seconds for him to tone down, his breathing stabilized.

" That's 50 laps around the court for all of you plus 25 power pumps, squat-thrusts, rock-climbers and inchworms; MI count. After that, 4th, 5th and 6th graders must prepare for a varsity selection tournament that will start after 15 minutes of recuperation. All 3rd graders proceed to the SC." He turned to his senpai-tachi. "Oh by the way, you're permanently off the varsity line-up, McPherson. For Kruger and Smith, you're temporarily suspended from the varsity. You will surrender your jerseys to your interim captain,Montgomery."

"What?!" Kristina spat before glaring at the stoic brunette next to her.

"You heard the Grand Kaiser, McPherson." There was an evil in Cyril Montgomery's eyes. "Hand me your jersey."

"Do that later." Sylvan told her. He motioned the two of them to pay attention to Ryoma's another announcement.

"MASS COMMAND AND EXECUTE COMMAND!!!!!!"

"COMMENCE EXERCISE!!!"

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Ryoma's senpai-tachi were exhausted by the end of the day. Watching and training with Chilton Tennis Club was an awesome experience. They found out that almost 90 of the members are ambidextrous and were trained using a program Sylvan created. They even tried the program and were utterly impressed by the kind of training the future players of the club does. They also learned of a new type of tennis game which is unique to CTC only. It was called Sudden Death Tennis. Ryoma used this as the type of game for the varsity selection. It is only half-a set, composed of 3 games only—no tie breaks. The reason they called it sudden death is because it doesn't matter if you win the first two games. The one who grabs the last point of the 3rd game wins. Atobe and Sanada thought it was pointless at first but when the games started, they couldn't deny the kind of tension and excitement in creates.

They watched the future Senbatsu participants played tennis like no Japanese grade school player even played before. Since that it was Sudden Death Tennis, they were able to decide the new varsity line that will compete in the Nationals, sans Kristina and the two players from St. Iseus.

"Kaiser, don't you think it is a pretty big risk taking Kristina off the line up?" Coach Williams asked him worriedly as they recuperate inside the captain's elegant office. "I mean we need her skills to win the Nationals."

"So does everybody else's skills." Ryoma answered without even looking up to her.

"You don't understand, Kaiser. She is one of the best players in this batch. With Crammer gone, you know that WE need her."

Ryoma sighed and took a sip of tea which Sanada prepared for them. "You said she's one of the best, so it means there are other players just like her who can do the job."

"But—"

"We don't need someone who doesn't even know her own identity to lead the team. And Crammer is not gone; he's merely an absentee with a reason. He'll be back to lead the team once more through the Nationals." Ryoma told her.

"But what about the sponsors!?" the woman slammed her fist on the table which caused Ryoma's tea to spill. There was a horrified expression on the Coach's face.

Atobe helped Ryoma clean up the desk. "You spilt my tea Williams." Ryoma deadpanned. Having the title dropped off from her name made the coach cringe. "We didn't earn the FilaTM sponsorship just because we won the Nationals. We earned it because they believe that we embody the true meaning of sportsmanship and tennis." He raised his brow. "And now that I have seen who the real Coach Williams is, I'm deciding that I don't need a coach like you to guide the club. You're fired." Ryoma said.

"What the f—"

"Continue with that and I'll see you in court for slander, Ms. Williams." He took another sip from his newly refilled cup courtesy of Atobe. "You can leave."

The woman was long gone before anyone decided to speak.

"You just fired the coach." Sanada muttered.

"And you suspended the best player in your team." Oshitari added.

"And suspended two promising doubles player." Kirihara said.

"And dismantled the whole club." Sengoku added.

"So?" Ryoma asked.

"I never realized you were this tenacious, Echizen." Fuji said.

" and very powerful." Atobe added.

"Sugoi O'chibi!!!"

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Ryoma thought he would be able to rest when they got back from Chilton, but no…a big fat NO. It seems that his aunts and uncles planned a farewell party for them, inviting the "old crowd". Having heard the news and seen the party venue, he snuck up to his room and locked himself in. He collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling for quite a long time.

"It has been ages since I last slept on this bed." Ryoma muttered then it got him. He scrambled off his bed and reached for the black photo album from underneath the mattress. He sat on the floor and opened the album and soon everything came rushing back into his head.

_Rio…_

Ryoma jerked to the side, cursing. 'There it is again, his voice…' he closed his eyes tight. 'I'm hearing his voice again.'

_Rio-ma looks like an irritated snake…I'm scared._

He glanced at the picture on the page; it was a picture of the two of them, with him seated between Carlos' legs, sleeping while the redhead sings him a song.

_You'll find him, Ryoma. that one person who'll make your insides ache every time you don't see him…you find him…because I-I w-want you to…_

Soon tears flowed unabashed down his face. After a long time, Ryoma succumbed into despair once again as he let his self-loathing and guilt take over his being.

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The party started and everyone was having fun. It turned out that James' and Sylvan's fathers took Sakaki-sensei into a fishing trip for the day. There they met up with the Griffey brothers once more, now knowing why the two know Ryoma. It turns out that they were adopted by Nanako's former circus mistress before their aunt took them in and made them work. Being free from Mr. Baker's clutches, they were taken in by their adoptive parents once more, giving them the security of a family that they've been wanting since they were born.

The night grew deep and soon it was Ryoma's turn to perform on stage. He was soon joined by Sylvan and James who took the guitar and drums respectively.

"Good evening everyone. It's nice to see familiar faces once again." Ryoma closed his eyes to calm his self. 'Right…you can do this…' he opened those golden orbs once more. "Being back in this place made me realize how much I've missed. It was a nice thing to do…tracing old trails and rediscovering the past…as a sign of my thanks, I dedicate this song to all of you." He turned to Sylvan and James to start.

_Look at this photograph_

_Every time I do it makes me laugh_

_How did our eyes get so red?_

_And what the hell is on Joey's head?_

_This is where I grew up_

_I think the present owner fixed it up_

_I never knew we ever went without_

_The second floor is hard for sneakin' out_

Fuji marveled at the talent of the freshman. 'How come he could be so cold and yet create such heart-warming songs. I wish I could be more like him…'

'I know it pains you to go back here, Ryoma but you can never erase what happened before. It made you who you are right now." Cassandra sadly mused as she watched Rinko's little boy perform.

_This is where I went to school_

_Most of the time had better things to do_

_Criminal record says I broke in twice_

_I must've done it half a dozen times_

_I wonder if it's too late_

_Should I go back and try to graduate_

_Life's better now than it was back then_

_If I was them, I wouldn't let me in_

'It seems like you opened the Pandora's Box, Ryoma-kun or rather you've exposed skeletons inside your closet. Atobe smirked. "And I just can't help but wonder whose skeleton is it…'

_Every memory of looking out the back door_

_I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

_Every memory of walking out the front door_

_I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

Sylvan stared at Ryoma's blank face. 'I wish I could do more to stop your pain, Ryo but I can only do so much. I'm not James who can lighten up your mood by being preppy, not Carlos who always made you smile. I am only Sylvan…in my own quiet ways I wanted to ease your pain.'

'He's hiding something. I don't think that shit about Carlos being in Spain is true." Kirihara sighed. 'I'm his friend…I want to help him.'

_We used to listen to the radio_

_And sing along with every song we know_

_We said someday we'll find out how it feels_

_To sing to more than just the steering wheel_

Ryoma closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling. 'Why does my chest aches so much? If only Choutarou was here…he'll know what to do…he'll know how to cheer me up…he'll…' a rebellious, solitary tear trickled down his cheek. 'Why?'

_She's the first girl I kissed_

_I was so nervous that I nearly missed_

_She's had a couple of kids since then_

_I haven't seen her since God knows when_

_Every memory of looking out the back door_

_I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

_Every memory of walking out the front door_

_I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

_I miss that town_

_I miss their faces_

_You can't erase_

_You can't replace it_

_I miss it now_

_I can't believe it_

_So hard to stay_

_Too hard to leave it_

_If I could relive those days_

_I know the one thing that would never change_

"He won't be able to move on completely until he learns how to accept the truth." Florenz muttered. Warren who was standing next to him sighed.

"He's just a child, Lorenz. He has been to hell and back…he can only do so much for himself."

_Every memory of looking out the back door_

_I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

_Every memory of walking out the front door_

_I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for_

_It's hard to say_

_It's time to say it_

_Goodbye, Goodbye_

'Just sing Ryoma…sing all your pains out. If this is the only way that I could do to help you…I'll play to my heart's content." James bit his lips as their song started to fade.

_Look at this photograph_

_Every time I do it makes me laugh_

_Every time I do it makes me…_

Ryoma scanned the faces of the maddening crowd. They all looked so youthful and happy. 'When was the last time that I shared the same kind of mirth?' he thought. 'When you're with Choutarou…' someone answered from the back of his mind. And then it got him. It felt like a heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders.

'Yes…it's true. Being with Choutarou made me forget all about you Carlos. I guess I shouldn't hold on to our memories anymore because I had to make new ones…new memories…new life with the one I love.'

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A/N: ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the longest chapter ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please review!!! I did ok with my midterm exams but I think I didn't do well in my nursing presentation…well that was according to the other clinical instructors but MY C.I. said I had the best work and I think that's enough for now…hmmm…now I had to dread the results of my nursing aptitude test…

Minna-san, if ever this story is discontinued it means that i stupidly killed myself for not passing the test….nah…kidding. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!


	20. this i promise you

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "This I Promise You". N'SYNC does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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A big crowd turned up when they arrived at the airport. Almost all of the Senbatsu camp participants were there with their respective teams. The lovers were not able to express their delight since cameras are all over the place. They were only able to do that when they arrived at Island Cove for a complementary luncheon. That was the time Ohtori let go of his inhibitions and hugged Ryoma in front of everyone. The two looked so adorable that it made the other couples jealous.

"Nya Oishi…why don't you act the same way with me?" Eiji complained while they watch the two.

"Eiji…" Oishi stammered.

"It's ok Eiji. Everybody has his own way of showing his affections, ne Mitsu-kun?" Fuji turned to his boyfriend who was caught staring at the couple. "Mitsu-kun…"

Tezuka snapped out of his reverie and turned to Fuji. "Yes Syusuke?" he bit his inner cheek. 'Idiot! Don't stare at them too much!'

Fuji's smile faltered a little. "I was saying everybody has his own way of showing his affections."

"Very true." The Seigaku captain was able to manage to save face. When he was sure that Fuji wasn't looking, he casts another side glance at Ryoma and Ohtori. 'I had thought not seeing you for a while will make me forget…' his eyes drifted to Ryoma's handsome face. 'But I guess I'm weak at that category.'

Unbeknownst to him a pair of chestnut-colored eyes studied him carefully. 'I know what you're thinking Tezuka. I, myself is in the same dilemma.' Yukimura took a sip from his glass while contemplating. 'Echizen engraved a permanent damage on us.'

"Ei Shounen! You seemed a little too cheerful today." Nanjiroh cornered his son when he went inside the office.

Ryoma would normally glare at him and say something disrespectful but today was different. In fact, Ryoma even smiled at him and hugged him.

"Oi Shounen!" Nanjiroh was shocked by his actions. "What's happening to you?"

Ryoma looked up to meet his father's eyes. "I finally realized everything you said to me two years ago was true."

"Huh?"

Ryoma took a deep breath and let go of his father. "You told me that once I've learned how to stop holding on to the past, I'll find out how life can be so much better for me."

Nanjiroh's lips curved up into a small smile. He then grabbed his son into a tight embrace. "That's right Shounen. It has been a harsh two years for you and I believe it was not what Carlos had intended." He petted Ryoma's hair. "There's a new life waiting for you. It may not be in the arms of Carlos but I guess Choutarou will be able to make it a whole lot better."

"I know…and I'm thankful."

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Everybody was having fun sans for one person. Atobe was outside, talking to someone in his phone.

"Yes…is everything ready? Good." Atobe muttered. "How are the attendees? Yes, it's exclusively to Hyotei's tennis club members and their dates." He checked on his nails before smirking. "It's settled then. Friday next will I will hold a grand party. Ok. "

Atobe pocketed his phone; his smirk is turning into a maniacal grin. 'Ohtori-kun…I'll make sure Ryoma drops you permanently off his life. I told you once, I want him.' with this, he joined the festivities inside.

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Shishido wondered why he was asked to proceed to Atobe's office after the practice. 'I hope this should be something good.' He mused as he paused just outside the door. 'Seeing Choutarou with Echizen yesterday made my heart want to explode.' With a sigh, he turned the knob and went in.

"What is it now, Atobe?" he asked, masking his sadness by irritation. He stated at the resident diva, who in turn had a facial expression on his face akin to that of a cat surveying its prey.

"Sit down Shishido-kun." Atobe motioned the boy towards the chair in front of his table.

Shishido gave an irritated puff before doing what he was told. "Are you planning something that will flop again because I don't want to be involved." Shishido glared at him. "Every time you plan something it always backfires and we only end up hurting in the end." There was an obvious glint of pain in his eyes.

'The poor idiot is really smitten with that Ohtori. My I think he better thank Ore-sama for this.' Atobe thought at he observed Shishido. He sighed and uncrossed his legs. "This plan's success depends on you Ryou-kun." Atobe said.

"Huh? And how could that be?" Shishido asked.

"This Friday I will be hosting a party for the whole tennis club. Each member is allowed to bring a date. We'll hold it in my estate." He rested his chin on his hands. "Ohtori will surely be there. I will give you the opportunity to tell him how you really feel and maybe change his mind."

Shishido gave him the 'don't-fucking-mess-with-me" look. "Are you nuts? Sure Echizen will be there."

"I'll take care of him. Just prepare yourself with what you will say and do." Atobe leaned back against his chair with a haughty look.

"But what if he rejects me? Isn't it obvious that he's so dedicated and in love with Echizen?" Ryoma's name tasted like bile in his lips.

"The Shishido Ryou that I know is not a coward. And besides, are you that sure that Ohtori-kun doesn't feel anything for you? You two were the closest even before Ryoma came into the picture." Atobe sported an evil smile. "So are you in?"

Shishido was in a deep thought. 'I want to do it but what if…what if…'

"Your time, our time is ticking away Shishido. So what do you say?" Atobe asked.

Taking a deep breath Shishido felt his heart is filled with a new-found determination.

"Yes I'm in."

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Ryoma was invited by the Ohtori family to spend the night over. If it wasn't for Ohtori's pleading puppy eyes he wouldn't have come. Who would've thought someone other than James had mastered this technique of persuasion? Soon after dinner and a round of card games with grandma Ohtori and Kisa-nee-san, the couple settled peacefully inside Choutarou's room. on how they were able to get away with it without looking very suspicious, no one knows…or maybe Ohtori-tachi are just too naïve about the status of the two as a couple.

"Chou…"

"Hmm?"

"Don't move. I'm getting cozy up here." Ryoma muttered. He purred at the way Ohtori's hands are petting his hair.

"You really are cute Neko-chan." Ohtori cooed at his boyfriend. They've been in this position for a few minutes now wherein Ryoma is sprawled on top of Ohtori.

Big golden orbs met his gaze. "The term "cute" is for baby animals, Chou."

"And you're classified as one, remember?" Ohtori chuckled. "You're my little Cat-eyes." He inclined his head to kiss Ryoma's adorable pouting lips.

"Fine Mr. Hyotei Anomaly." Ryoma muttered against his lips before devouring his boyfriend's lips.

"Did you have a fun three-day vacation in America?" Ohtori asked when they broke the kiss to come up for air.

Ryoma brushed some stubborn locks off Ohtori's forehead. "Hmmm…the games were fun but touring…no." He muttered before placing a chaste kiss on Ohtori's forehead.

"How come?" the older boy asked as Ryoma's head nestled at the crook of his neck. He shivered involuntarily when he felt the boy placing butterfly kissed on his sensitive neck.

"James and Sylvan are being pests as usual…especially Sylvan now that he's Akaya-senpai's boyfriend. I think he did that to spy on me." Ryoma muttered.

Ohtori shook his head and sighed. "We can't say that. Maybe he really felt something for Kirihara-kun which compelled him to resort to a long-distance relationship. That is a hard thing to do." he didn't think Ryoma's still listening to him because he's busy nipping at his carotid artery. "Neko-chan…is you still listening to me?"

Ryoma brought his head up and his lips curved up into a familiar smirk. "No because you're too damn sexy to listening to." He snickered when Ohtori ruffled his hair. '

"You little devil."

Silence followed as they lay on the bed, content in each other's presence. For Ryoma, he was surprised that he didn't find himself sleepy at all. 'Being with Choutarou makes me feel alive. It feels like every second is worth living.' He mused as he snuggled closer to the tall boy.

"And how about James, Neko-chan? He didn't find any romance?" Ohtori suddenly spoke up. His comment induced a hearty laugh from Ryoma. "What's so funny?"

"You don't know James, Chou-chou." Ryoma sat up. "He's as vain as the Monkey King. He thinks he's irresistible."

"Ok…so?"

"James is a walking time bomb of hormones. He'll hit on anyone, be it someone wearing a skirt or pants." Ryoma chuckled.

"Oh…really? But he's like…you know…you're age." Ohtori can't help blushing at the thought that the young handsome blonde is indeed a walking Casanova. He then felt a light pinch on his cheeks.

"Aww….you're so cute when you blush." Ryoma said.

"Neko-chan!" Ohtori lightly protested. He then pulled the young boy into his arms. "I just couldn't fathom knowing that…" he trialed off.

"Baka." Ryoma gave him a playful punch on the arm. "I think you're reading slash fictions again. We have NOT been sexually involved ever…not with James, nor with Sylvan or Carlos." He sighed. "Being a very good friend, I'm hoping the day will come that a person could actually stop him from being a player, you know. I'm getting that idea that he doesn't want any commitment."

Ohtori let out a sigh of relief upon hearing what his boyfriend has to say. Then a thought came to him. "What about Carlos?" he could feel how Ryoma stiffened at the questions. He also noted a fleeting shadow on his koibito's eyes at the mention of the redhead. 'Something's not right…'

'Wow…I knew that this would happen anytime soon but I didn't expect it to be now.' Ryoma could feel himself panicking. 'What to do?'

"Ryoma?"

There was a sad smile on Ryoma's lips when he looked up to Ohtori. "There are things in my past that I'm not ready to tell anyone yet, Choutarou…even you." He didn't miss the small frown. "But when I'm ready, you will be the first one to hear the whole story…it's just that…" he trialed off when he felt Ohtori's arms tightened around him.

"I know…and I understand." Ohtori whispered into his ear. "Although it pains me to think that you're hiding something from me, I just don't have the heart to force it out of you." Ryoma looked up to him to meet his gaze. "Because I want you to tell it to me willingly and honestly."

Ryoma bit his lip to suppress a cry that was long withheld. Tears glistened in his golden brown eyes. "Chou…"

"Shhh…"

Soon the tears fell unhindered as Ryoma sobbed his heart out to Ohtori. " you don't know how much I've tried to convince myself to tell you…but I-I c-couldn't…I'm not s-strong enough…"

"You'll find the courage that you need Neko-chan…" Ohtori soothed the freshman. "And if you couldn't find it…I'll be your courage…."

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It was their first video conference since they parted. Kirihara would've preferred to talk to Sylvan alone but upon knowing that the blonde was sleeping over, he couldn't find the words to tell him off.

"So how was the reunion?" James asked. Both boys are in PJ's already.

"A lot of people turned up. There were reporters everywhere…all the tennis players…" Kirihara replied.

"How was Ryoma?" Sylvan asked. Kirihara noticed that despite that cold exterior that his boyfriend is sporting, the softness of his grey eyes betrayed his true feelings.

"He's fine. He looks happy now that he's reunited with Ohtori-kun." the Junior Ace answered.

He noticed that James gave Sylvan an uneasy glance.

"So he doesn't look depressed?" James asked. Sylvan threw him a glare. 'Idiot!'

"Depressed?" Kirihara was now curious. "Is there something that I need to know about my friend?"

"It was nothing Aya-kun." Sylvan muttered. Somehow he couldn't look straight into his boyfriend's accusing green eyes.

Silence…

"You lied about Carlos being in Spain right?" Kirihara soon spoke up. The two both were not able to hide the shock on their faces.

"Wha-what did you say?" James stuttered. "What a-are you talking about? Of course it's true that Carlos is in Spain. Why else would the whole family leave?"

Kirihara wasn't paying attention to the James' rant. His eyes were focused on Sylvan who kept averting his gaze. "Tell me the truth Sylvan."

James looked at his bespectacled friend helplessly. 'Hello?!?!?!?! This is like Code BLACK emergency situation!'

Sylvan sighed in frustration. He buried his handsome face in his hands. "They'll have to know eventually James."

James was utterly shocked. Never in his life had he imagined Sylvan to give in so easily. Wasn't he the STOIC, STONE-HEARTED BASTARD/JERK who doesn't want to meddle with the lives of anyone? "We are not in the position to tell him anything!!!" James suddenly cried.

Kirihara jolted at the outburst. 'Then this means they're hiding something really big and controversial. What could've Ryoma done to make them act like this?'

"And I don't want to lie to my boyfriend as well!!" Sylvan yelled, taking James aback. He could see that his friend must've been in an intense internal struggle…weighing his duties of being a best friend and a boyfriend at the same time. It wasn't the first time that his lost his composure. He also snapped that time when Ryoma tried to…

"I'm sorry for bringing this up." Kirihara looked dejected. "If my curiosity will cause a rift in your friendship then I'll let it go and forget I asked."

"No." Sylvan snapped at him. "You started it…we'll finish everything now."

James groaned in his defeat. "Ryoma is so gonna kills us for this." He flopped down the bed.

"Is it that big of a secret?" Kirihara asked.

"BIG!!!! As in Mt. Fuji-big of a disaster if Ryoma finds out that we spilt the beans." James protested. "You have seen how he gets mad. Even though we're his best friends we're still scared of what he'll do." the blonde grimaced.

"He can exceed the mood of a woman with a nasty case of PMS, both menstrual and menopausal." Sylvan told him, his face grim. "Please swear that you'll never tell him anything…" his grey eyes pleading. 'I'm begging you Akaya…'

"Sylvan…"

"We've never begged for anything to anyone in our entire lives, Akaya-senpai." James added.

Kirihara sighed. "You do understand that I'm not the only close friend Ryoma has here right? Fuji Yuuta has the right to know too…"

"Who's Yuuta?" the boys asked in unison. Kirihara could see a flicker of jealous in his koibito's eyes.

"He's another close friend." He said. "We're the ones looking after him here."

Silence reined the video-con once again.

"Fine…tell him but one word out of this and I'll make sure you'll suffer hell on a first hand-basis…regardless of the fact that you're Sylvan's boyfriend." James huffed.

"Ok…"

Sylvan took a deep breath. "Ok…that is what happened almost two years ago…"

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Ryoma's sobs had long died but he hadn't moved from his previous position at all. He was contented in feeling Ohtori's heartbeat and breaths.

"Now I know why I fell in love with you…" the young boy spoke up, voice is still hoarse form crying.

"Oh really? Care to enlighten me, little one?" Ohtori asked.

Ryoma met his smoldering gaze. "I love you…because I just do…" he brought a hand up to caress the sophomore's cheek. " I can't completely fathom how you do it but every time I'm with out, you make me feel life. I had long sworn to myself that I'd stop living but when I met you and offered me life, I couldn't resist but cling to you." he gave him one of his rare smiles, that one not tainted with malice and arrogance. "And because of that I made you my everything."

Ohtori felt his heart's going to burst in happiness. Ryoma's words…no…everything about him made the suspicions and pain go away. He couldn't find the right words to say to be able to top what the freshman just said…and there's something inside him, telling him that he need not to.

"Chou…did you just hear what I said?" Ryoma asked.

"Yes…" Ohtori leaned in to kiss him. "Yes I did. And thank you." He whispered against Ryoma's lips before sealing it with slow, burning kiss.

After a few seconds…

"Ryoma…"

"Yes Chou-chou?"

"If I asked you to marry me now…what would be your answer?" Ohtori asked, a different kind of determination flashed in his eyes.

"I'm twelve Chou-chou…isn't that illegal?" the freshman chuckled.

"Well, we'll never know right?" Ohtori said. "I intend to make this forever."

Words failed him. He never expected that question. 'Forever? Wow…not even with Carlos or Tezuka did I ever thought of that.'

"Well?" Ohtori held his breath for his reply. 'I don't know what I'll do if you'll say no.' he bit his inner cheek, waiting anxiously.

"Forever?" Ryoma asked, his lips twitching up. "That doesn't sound so bad…"

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"I can't believe it…" Kirihara muttered.

"I know this is hard for you to believe but it is the truth." Sylvan said.

"Not even Ryoma had the heart to accept the truth until now." James said; his face solemn. "That is the reason why he didn't want to come back here."

"I never imagined how much pain he's been through…"

"That is why you need to protect him for being hurt. We can't be there to watch over him." Sylvan sighed. "It's you're job now."

"I know…"

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_When the visions around you_

_Bring tears to your eyes_

_And all that's around you_

_Are secrets and lies_

_I'll be your strength_

_I'll give you hope_

_Keeping your faith when it's gone_

_The one you should call_

_Was standing here all along_

They just lay there, Ryoma head is pillowed by Ohtori's arms while the sophomore sang the freshman to sleep.

'You said that you made me your everything…' Ohtori mused. '…you don't know what it meant to me. As if you don't know…you're mine as well.'

_And I will take you in my arms_

_And hold you right where you belong_

'_Til the day my life is through_

_This I promise you_

_This I promise you_

Ryoma listened to Ohtori with all his heart even though he was supposed to be lulled to sleep. 'Cherish me…protect me…love me in anyway you can, I'll accept it. Do me no wrong…' he thought as he listened. 'I don't want to get hurt once more.'

_I've loved you forever_

_In lifetimes before_

_And I promise you never_

_Will you hurt anymore_

_I give you my word_

_I give you my heart_

_This is a battle we've won_

_And with this vow_

_Forever has now begun_

Fingers intertwined as the darkness of the night gently engulfed them. Hearts are beating as one…souls are unified. It is when two very opposite people come together that solace is found.

_Just close your eyes each lovin' day_

_And know this feeling won't go away_

'_Til the day my life is through_

_This I promise you_

_This I promise you_

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"He's singing again." Saime smiled gently as they passed by Choutarou's door.

"You'd reckon they're not doing anything…illegal yet right?" Kaoru muttered. This earned a hearty laugh from Saime.

"Sush Kaoru…I think our son knows better than that." She then ushered her husband back to their room. 'I can see well that you're feelings for Ryoma-kun grew deeper my dear son. I hope you don't let that feeling disappear.'

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_Over and over I fall_

_When I hear you call_

_Without you in my life, baby_

_I just wouldn't be living at all_

'I don't understand why but I ache every time I don't get to see you. Maybe this is what Carlos had been talking about true love.' Ryoma mused as his eyes were caught in a searing gaze with his boyfriend. 'I don't know what true love is yet but I'll bet there's no other definition closer to it than us."

_And I will take you in my arms_

_And hold you right where you belong_

'_Til the day my life is through_

_This I promise you, baby_

_Just close your eyes each lovin' day_

_And know this feeling won't go away_

_Every word I say is true_

_This I promise you_

'You said forever is not such a bad idea…' Ohtori smiled gently at the freshman. 'No…it isn't a bad idea after all. Because I promised it to you…'

_Every word I say is true_

_This I promise you_

_Ooh, I promise you_

………………

"Chou?"

"Hmm…?"

"Good night…"

"You too Neko-chan…"

"And…"

"Hmmm?"

"Please dream of us…"

Chuckles, "I will."

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A/N: hmmmm not so late after all!!!!! Mwahahahahahahah!!!!!!!! I'm going to warn you about the next chapters…to those avid Lyric Pair fans…don't curse me ok? Just remember…everything will be ok…so…

MAKE ME HAPPY AND LEAVE A REVIEW!!!!!!!!

…and for the wrong grammars, misspelled words and etc…, I do apologize for I do not have time to revise this one thoroughly. I do not have the luxury of time to do that. Thanks!


	21. broken vow

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Broken Vow". Lara Fabian does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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It wasn't after Tuesday that Ryoma found out about Atobe's party. Despite his personal distaste for formal parties (thought those stuff are for boring yuppie-type of people) and his distrust for Atobe, he decided to go considering that this is one of his duties as a good boyfriend. It was a kind of relief for him to know that the party is exclusively for Hyotei tennis club meaning no annoying senpai-tachi.

He was busy checking himself out in the mirror when his cousin called. "What?" Ryoma asked.

"So you really are not going to the bar tonight?" Nanako asked.

Ryoma sighed. "I said I'll be there if I can get Choutarou to ditch the party." He straightened out his dark green turtle neck. "If the party ends earlier, maybe I could drop by for one last song."

Nanako shook her head. "Fine." She was about to leave when she remembered something. "Call me when you need a ride home or to the bar, ok?"

"Sure."

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"I have a bad feeling about this." Jirou yawned at the third years gathered sans Atobe and Shishido.

"How come?" Gakuto asked while he busied himself fixing Oshitari's tie.

"I don't know. I just feel like something bad will happen tonight." The drowsy senior replied.

"You're being weird again Jiroh." Oshitari scoffed.

"But remember the coincidences that came true just because Jiroh is being weird and all." Taki muttered as he put on his coat. This earned him uneasy glances from his companions.

The door suddenly opened, revealed a very haughty and very pleased Atobe. "What are you waiting for? The party just started."

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The rest of the Seigaku-tachi mingled in Fuji's living room. Since they're not invited to the prestigious Hyotei party, they decided that they could throw one on their own.

"You know…I've noticed something disturbing when we're still in US." Fuji muttered as the group sat in circle.

"Really?" Eiji asked. "I haven't."

"What is it Fuji-senpai?" Momo asked.

"It's about Echizen." Tezuka, upon hearing Ryoma's name, jerked his head up failing to hide the slight interest in his eyes.

"What is it?" Inui said, taking out his beloved green notebook.

"I don't think we should talk about this—" Oishi started but Eiji clamped a hand on his mouth.

"Shhh Oishi!" Eiji complained. "This is one way to understand O'chibi better."

"He could be right, Oishi." Kawamura added.

"Fshuu…go ahead Fuji-senpai." Kaidou hissed.

"Ok…the first thing I noticed when we got there is someone is missing…" Fuji started.

"Who is it?" Momo asked.

"Shut up!" Kaidou hissed at the brunette.

"Get lost, Mamushi!" momo snapped back at him.

"Enough!!!" Tezuka bellowed.

"On with the story…" Fuji said. "I noticed the Carlos De Vera was not in sight, not even in the airport nor in the hotel nor even during the games and the tour day."

"Nya…you're right Fuji." Eiji clapped his hands.

"Maybe he's busy." Kawamura said.

"That's impossible. Even the whole family was there during the dinner so there's no way he could stay behind." Eiji replied.

"And Ryoma and his friends are acting really weird when we asked where he is." Fuji added.

"Nya Fuji, but they said he's in Spain." Eiji turned to the tensai.

"Even if he's away he could've called or something. I didn't even hear the trio speak his name once and even if they did, they all become as solemn as if…" Fuji trialed off.

"As if someone died?" Tezuka finished for him.

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"I'm sorry for dragging you out here, Ryoma." Ohtori frowned at the sight of the frown in Ryoma's face. They joined Atobe's table (as for the seat plan) and the freshman didn't speak after that.

Ryoma forced out a smile. "It's ok Chou. This is just not my thing." He sighed. "I should be the one to apologize for my manners."

Ohtori shook his head. "No you shouldn't. No one's blaming you for this kind of behavior." He reached out and petted Ryoma's hair. "And besides, by just being here you made me really happy."

Ryoma smirked. "I'm glad I could be of help." He leaned in and placed a peck on Ohtori's lips.

They ignored the death glares coming from the opposite side of the table.

Atobe clenched his fists. 'How dare he?! The nerve of this insipid sophomore…argh!!!!!' he gritted his teeth. 'You just wait Ohtori. I will break you so hard that you wouldn't be able to gather your wits back and start anew. Ryoma is mine, MINE, MINE, and MINE!!!!!!'

Unlike Atobe, Shishido chose the moment to excuse his self from the table and wander around. He's smart enough not to linger in pain. 'A few more minutes and it's time. I will take this chance to tell and show him my true feelings and maybe change his mind.' He took one last look at the couple at the table. 'I'm sorry but I think it's time to take back what I should have had a long time ago.'

A waiter approached there table.

"Excuse me sir but there's a phone call waiting for you in the lobby." He told Ryoma. The freshman eyed the waiter curiously before casting an apologetic look on his boyfriend.

"You go ahead." Ohtori smiled at him. "I'll be waiting right here."

"Ok." Ryoma stood up. "You better be there when I get back ok?"

"I promise."

With this Ryoma followed the waiter out of the ballroom.

Hiyoshi who was seated near Atobe did not miss the sinister grin that his captain was sporting while he watched the freshman exited the party. 'There's something that I don't like in that smile.'

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"I don't think so…" Eiji muttered.

"What could be the other possible answers to this?" Fuji asked.

"Maybe he broke away from the group." Oishi spoke up. Everybody turned to him. "Maybe that's the reason why the other three looks sad every time you mention his name."

"Yeah…" Kawamura agreed.

"Maybe he did something terrible which forced him out of the country." Kaidou concluded.

"Maa…"

'Carlos….you really are an intriguing character." Tezuka mused. 'Not only that you are the love of Ryoma's life but you also managed to throw our minds askew. Who are you really? I want to know who made me let go of the person whom I cherished dearly.'

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Ryoma was pissed. Not only that the "call" was nothing but a mere prank (he managed to say all the expletives he knows in 6 different languages) but he also discovered that Ohtori was nowhere to be found. 'But he promised he'd be here when I get back!'

There was a shadow cast upon him. He looked up and saw Atobe's ever-annoying smiling face. "What do you want, Monkey King?"

"Ore-sama will pretend he didn't here that one, Echizen…" Atobe started but Ryoma cut him off.

"Fine does pretend somewhere else." He tried to step away from Atobe's imposing figure but eh diva was one step ahead of him. "What now?!" he snapped at the boy.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…such a foul mood you have." Atobe's smile grew wider. "Care to play us a song? You know, show Hyotei the music genius inside of you."

"Fuck off." Ryoma hissed and walked past him.

"Fufufu…that's right Ryoma…look for him. Look for that beloved boyfriend of yours and be shocked of what you will see…"

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"What is it that you need to tell me Shishido-san?" Ohtori asked. 'I don't want to be rude but Ryoma could be back any minute now.' He silently added.

"Look at me Choutarou." Shishido muttered. The sophomore met his gaze. 'Ok…here goes nothing…'

'Why is Shishido-san acting like this?' Ohtori's heartbeat raced. It was the first time that Shishido looked at him this way. 'I don't understand what's happening!'

"There is something that you should know Choutarou." The scarred boy started.

"What is it, Shishido-san?"

"I like you…"

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Ryoma was wandering around the halls looking for Ohtori. If the god of luck hated him that day, he must've been having a great time making Ryoma miserable for the freshman is currently lost.

"Hey."

Ryoma spun around only to see Hiyoshi standing behind him.

"What do you want?" Ryoma snapped. "A game? Sorry I'm not in the mood—"

"Shut up ok?" Hiyoshi hissed. "There's something that you need to see."

Ryoma eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Come with me." with his, the sophomore grabbed his hand and dragged him to the far end of the mansion. They came to a dead end.

"What—"

"I said shut up!" Hiyoshi hissed as he shoved the freshman behind the gigantic curtains. He followed after him.

"I don't…" Ryoma trailed off when his eyes drifted to the terrace close to them.

"I like you…"

'N-no…'

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"w-what? What are you talking about Shishido-san?" Ohtori stammered. 'n-no…why now?'

"I said I like you." Shishido said firmly. "Or rather I love you. I started loving you the moment that I met you. I wasn't able to tell you before because I was scared that you would reject me."

"But Shishido-san, I have a boyfriend now!" Ohtori hissed." Ryoma—'

"I don't fucking care about that brat." Shishido snapped at him. "I was the first one to know you…the first one to love you! I know deep inside that you feel the same way too…"

"But Shishido-san! You—"Ohtori's words were muffled by a kiss from the scarred senior. He wasn't able to react. In his shock he wasn't able to push Shishido away. The kiss lasted only for a few seconds but those few seconds are just what a certain brunette needed.

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Ryoma slowly stepped away from their hiding place, his face void of any reaction. Hiyoshi followed after him, shock was evident in his face.

They walked in silence back to the ballroom until…

"Don't tell him." Ryoma spoke up.

"What?" Hiyoshi snapped back into reality.

"I said don't tell him anything about what we saw." Ryoma looked at him, even his eyes are unreadable.

"But…"

"Just don't say anything." Ryoma said as they went inside the ballroom. Once again, Atobe blocked his way.

"Are you ok Echizen? You look like you're about to faint." The diva asked, concerned flooding into his heart.

"None of your business, Monkey King." He was about to walk away when…" remember that song that you requested?"

Atobe was a bit shock at the inquiry. "Yes. Why?"

Ryoma gave him a grim look. "I think I want to do that now."

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Ohtori finally gather his wits and will to push Shishido away.

"I'm sorry Shishido-san but I just don't feel the same way that you do." Ohtori said. "I could only imagine how much pain you're in right now but I cannot just tell myself to turn my back from the person whom I really love."

Words failed Shishido.

"I'm really sorry but I have to get back to my boyfriend." With this, Ohtori left the terrace, leaving Shishido in tears.

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_Tell me his name_

_I want to know_

_The way he looks_

_And where you go_

_I need to see his face_

_I need to understand_

_Why you and I came to an end_

Ryoma couldn't understand why tears never came when it is needed. He felt his heart's going to explode into a million pieces. First was Carlos, then Tezuka and now…'you promised…you promised you would stay…' he added more pressure on his fingers, wanting them to hurt while they touch each key.

_Tell me again_

_I want to hear_

_Who broke my faith in all these years_

_Who lays with you at night_

_When I'm here all alone_

_Remembering when I was your own_

Atobe couldn't contain his happiness. By the looks of it, Shishido performed as planned. Now he doesn't give a damn if the scarred boy gets rejects or not…for he's busy gloating for his victory. 'It's semi-official. The song was a dead giveaway. I did it!' he felt giddy inside. "The next step is to make Ryoma mine.'

_I'll let you go_

_I'll let you fly_

_Why do I keep on asking why_

_I'll let you go_

_Now that I found_

_A way to keep somehow_

_More than a broken vow_

Hiyoshi gazed an Echizen with utmost guilt. 'Maybe I made a mistake of showing him. If I didn't…they would still be together now, right? But if I didn't, Echizen's going to live in a lie that nothing like this ever occurred. It's his right to know…' he bit his lip. 'What have I've done?

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Ohtori was still in a daze as he walked back to the ballroom. 'Shishido-san likes me…and he kissed me…' Ohtori shook his head. 'I know that I'm hurting him but I just can't tell myself to forget about Ryoma to be with him. If he confessed even before I met Ryoma, maybe there could still be a chance for the two of us…' he heard the faint music that was coming from the ballroom.

'Kami-sama! I think it's Ryo-kun!' he sped up his pace. 'I just hope he doesn't find out what happened. No…I'll make sure of it. I don't want to hurt him. I promised not to hurt him.' there was a new looked of determination in his eyes. 'I will carry this secret to my grave…'

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_Tell me the words I never said_

_Show me the tears you never shed_

_Give me the touch_

_That one you promised to be mine_

_Or has it vanished for all time_

'Oh God do you hate me this much? Why do I need to go through this again?' Ryoma closed his eyes. 'This is much more painful that seeing Tezuka and Fuji make out in the clubroom, more painful than losing Carlos. Choutarou is my life…but why did he decided to put an end to it? Why? Why? Why?!!'

_I'll let you go_

_I'll let you fly_

_Why do I keep on asking why_

_I'll let you go_

_Now that I found_

_A way to keep somehow_

_More than a broken vow_

"Hmmm…something's off with Echizen." Gakuto muttered to Oshitari as they watched the freshman performed.

"I know." Oshitari muttered. 'Maybe Jiroh was right.' He studied the boy. 'It's as if every word is like blood that bled out of his tortured heart. What could've caused this?' he glanced at the doors and soon saw Ohtori coming in, looking very flushed.

Ohtori arrived at the ballroom and saw Ryoma by the stage, playing the piano and singing. He stared at the Hyotei crowd and was proud to see that his koibito got them hooked. But something was amiss to Ohtori. 'But why such a sad melody Ryoma? Are you feeling well?'

_I close my eyes_

_And dream of you and I_

_And then I realize_

_There's more to life than only bitterness and lies_

_I close my eyes_

_I'd give away my soul_

_To hold you once again_

_And never let this promise end_

Ryoma pooled every bit of emotion, of sadness, bitterness and pain to the song. He may not be crying physically, with no tears flowing down his cheeks but to his song he was mourning…weeping at the death of his life, his love. ' I would give everything just to get you back Choutarou…but it seems that just like a butterfly, you're flown away from me. And I don't know if I will be able to survive the time waiting time for you to fly back to me. '

_I'll let you go_

_I'll let you fly_

_Why do I keep on asking why_

_I'll let you go_

_Now that I found_

_A way to keep somehow_

_More than a broken vow_

Ryoma has captivated the Hyotei crowd. It's as if they're sharing his pain, his agony through his song even though they know nothing about it. Some kids realized they have tears flowing down their cheeks. Ryoma moved them…he tugged their snotty hearts with his song.

Ohtori felt a single tear trickled down his face. He wiped it away, wondering what caused it.

Ryoma felt numb as he played the last few notes of the song. His heart was pounding so hard that he feared it would burst right out of his chest. He went deaf and didn't hear the thunderous applause from the audience. He scanned the faces before him and felt a painful tug in his heart when he saw Ohtori amongst them, with Shishido standing not far behind.

'No matter how hurt I am, I couldn't muster any anger to throw against you.' He met Shishido's eyes. 'At times like this, that one I'm furious at is I. Maybe if I didn't join the picture, you two would've been happy, right?

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After a few minutes, Ohtori was out of the mansion, standing beside Ryoma while they wait for Nanako to pick the boy up.

"As usual, you were phenomenal Neko-chan." Ohtori held Ryoma's hand securely.

Ryoma did his best to hide the pain. He was a master in that category. "Too bad you only came near the end." He kept his tone in check, not wanting Ohtori to notice anything.

"I know. But there'll be plenty of times for us to share music." Ohtori leaned down and gave him a soft kiss.

"Yeah…" Ryoma muttered. It seems like the god of luck took pity on him that he cued Nanako to arrive.

"Hey, thank God! We're in big trouble." Nanako cried as she lowered the window.

"Good evening Na-chan." Ohtori greeted her cheerfully.

"Ok I got to go." Ryoma gave him one last peck on the cheeks before climbing into the Altis.

"See ya!" Nanako said.

"Goodbye." Ryoma waved.

"See ya later!"

Unbeknownst to him, this might be the final goodbye for Ryoma.

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"I'm glad that you came to the rescue." Nanako chatted away. Ryoma, on the other hand just sat there, lost in his own little world. "But what made you decide to bitch the party? Was it too boring for you?"

Ryoma sighed. "Yeah…'

"Ok"

"Hey…" Ryoma muttered.

"Yes?"

"Can you do me a favor?" Ryoma asked. "Can you record a song that I'll be playing tonight?"

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A/N: aww…..so sorry for the sudden downfall of the fluffy-ness…but as I've said in the last chapter…everything will be fine.

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND MAKE ME HAPPY OK?! THANKS!!!!!


	22. i love you, goodbye

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "I Love you, Goodbye". Celine Dione does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

PP/S: now will reveal the most itching info about CARLOS!!!!!!!!! Well…just a bit

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Flashback

_Ryoma sighed. "Yeah…'_

"_Ok"_

"_Hey…" Ryoma muttered. _

"_Yes?" _

"_Can you do me a favor?" Ryoma asked. "Can you record a song that I'll be playing tonight?"_

End of Flashback

Ryoma down the rest of the contents of the bottle of tequila he's holding. There he is again, locked up in the music room with the company of one empty and three more to be emptied bottles of tequila and two packs of cigarettes. His parents were still in shock when he told them that he and Ohtori broke up. Even Nanjiroh was unable to stop himself from blurting out his disappointment. For him Ohtori was the best thing that happened to Ryoma after a long time and demanded to talk to the sophomore. This idea was then thwarted by Ryoma, saying that he'll make a bonfire as big as their ancient sakura tree out of his magazines if he does that.

Ryoma sighed for the nth time as the smoke engulfed his lithe body. 'You always look for something to burn you later Ryoma. You never listened to your inner demons. Carlos was the one destined for you…now that he's gone, you're wrecking some other's destiny to make your own.'

Flashback

_Saime opened the door and was surprised to see Ryoma outside. She glanced at the clock and saw it was already 1 am. _

"_I do apologize for the disturbance Ohtori-san. I just need to give Choutarou something." Ryoma said._

"_He's already asleep. You want me to wake him up so you could talk?" Saime asked as she led the boy in. _

"_No…" Ryoma faltered. "I mean... I'll just take a peek into his room and leave the parcel by his nightstand. Would that be ok, Ohtori-san?" _

"_S-sure." Saime nodded and led the boy upstairs. _

"_What made you drop by at this untimely hour Ryo-kun?" she couldn't help but ask. _

"_I'm really sorry for that Ohtori-san." he faked a smile. "I couldn't think of a better time." _

"_It's ok." Saime smiled. "Here you go." She opened the door to Ohtori's room. _

_Ryoma felt his heart's going to jump out of his chest as he approached the sleeping for of his boyfriend. He heard the door closed before he gently sat on the bed. _

"_I'd give up everything just to be able to see your handsome face every second of my life…" tears started to escape his eyes. "…but I think it'd be wiser to just let you go where you will truly be happy." He kept his voice to whisper for he doesn't want to wake up the sophomore. Having him awake might change Ryoma's mind from leaving. "I never wanted to let you go…if I will have the last say in this, I would keep you here…" he gently caressed Ohtori's face. "…right here with me but I don't…"_

"_My past prevents me from giving everything to you. I can't stop myself from thinking that a part of me, a large chunk of my personality belongs to someone in my past. That's why I couldn't promise you forever wholeheartedly which breaks my heart the most since you cherished a broken toy like me.." He took out an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the bedside table. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Ohtori's lips. "Always remember that I'll always love you. As I have promised, you're the love of my life. I will never look for another love for no love could surpass ours." _

_He stood up and wiped his tears. "Parting with you is like dying. I've been there before so I don't think it'll be hard for me to survive. I just hope Shishido-san makes you happy, happier than we were together." _

"_Goodbye, Chou-chou…"_

End of Flashback

Tears welled up his eyes once more. 'I've been a terrible person. I think this is God's way of punishing me. With Carlos gone, I'm bound to be alone for the rest of my life. I'm the one at fault. If I didn't butt in the picture, Kunimitsu and Fuji will be enjoying the mirth of their perfect relationship. If I didn't butt in, Choutarou and Shishido would've been happy as a couple now. If I didn't…' he wiped his eyes and chugged down half of the new bottle he's holding.

"They say…hic…that alcohol is a greathic anesthetic." Ryoma slurred as the effect of two and a half bottles of tequila started to work on him. "I soo don't want to feel pain right now…" and down went the rest of the tequila. 'This is going to be a long night.'

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Saturday…and they have their 8 am practice. Ryoma was unable to get a shuteye, not even for a minute. He sluggishly went into the shower and prepared himself for the big day.

"Ryoma-sama, are you alright?" Nanako asked worriedly. She was passing by the bathroom when she heard it.

"Am fine." Ryoma called out.

"If there something I could get you—"

"Just make me a mug of strong, black coffee and I'll be fine." Ryoma's muffled reply came. "I'll be out on a minute."

Inside the bathroom, Ryoma felt he just emptied his whole stomach into the toilet. 'Stupid hangover.' He muttered as he finished his shower.

Nanako shook her head in disbelief as she brewed in the kitchen. The rich aroma of coffee filled the room. 'I don't understand him at all. He broke up with Ohtori-kun. What could've happened?' she mused. She didn't know that Ryoma already came in looking scrunched up. Nanako slid the mug under his nose.

"Want anything for breakfast?" she asked.

"I'm good." Ryoma muttered as he started on his coffee. The silence after that grew like a balloon, waiting to be popped.

"I'm just curious. What made you broke up—"

"May I have another cup please?" Ryoma cut her off, giving her his mug. Nanako sighed and filled it once more. She sensed that her cousin is in no shape to discuss anything.

"I'm done." Ryoma said and brought his cup to the sink.

"You're leaving this early?" Nanako asked in disbelief.

"The Nationals is just a few months away." Ryoma mumbled. "Do we still have Extra Joss 1 left?" he suddenly asked.

"I have some I guess." Nanako replied. "Why?"

"I need one just in case I drain out." Ryoma said.

Nanako reluctantly handed him a small square packet.

"Bye." And with this he was gone.

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Inui wanted to come before anyone else. He left some important ingredients for his new recipe and he didn't want anyone to see it and throw it in the trash can like what happened last week. He figured that everyone will be arriving together; he'll just leave earlier to protect his ingredients. Never in his whole life that he expected to see Ryoma there, already "hitting the wall".

"Wow, never in the history of my data had I predicted you coming to practice this early Echizen." he spoke up, hoping to startle the boy but he failed. Ryoma just ignored him and continued what he was doing.

'Just as I've calculated. This is so like Echizen.' Inui chuckled inwardly before going inside the clubhouse.

After a few minutes he heard someone came in and found out that it was Ryoma, staring at him.

"Is there anything that I can help you with, Echizen-kun?" Inui asked.

"May I borrow an empty beaker, Inui-senpai?" Ryoma asked.

Inui studied him closely before producing an empty 100 ml beaker. "Are you going to start experimenting too?" he asked yet received no reply. His gaze followed the freshman out of the room. 'Probability of getting a silent treatment, 100'

Ryoma went outside and sat on a bench. He took out the energy soda he bought earlier and the packet of EJ he got from Nanako. He poured everything into the beaker and waited for the contents to mix up well. After it did, he drained the beaker in no time.

"Tennis will make me forget."

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7:30 am: Ryuzaki-sensei wanted to make sure all her regulars are in shape for the Nationals that's why she decided to come in early. It her disappointment no one was there other than Echizen. She saw Inui's things inside the clubroom but he's nowhere to be found.

She wanted to greet her younger regular a good day but she noticed him looking very pale and short of breath.

"Are you ok Echizen-kun?" she asked.

"Ha-huh?" Ryoma turned to look at their coach. He soon felt lightheaded and started to see two Ryuzaki-senseis. "Ohayou." He muttered.

"You seemed off. If there something wrong?" she asked. She held her hand to check his temperature and was shock to feel how cold his skin was.

"Am a little dizzy that's all." Ryoma replied.

Ryuzaki-sensei shook her head. 'I don't know what to do with out anymore.' She mused. "I think its better that you go home and rest." she said. "I'll go get your things. You're excused for today's practice."

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Ohtori woke up when he felt the soft rays of the sun in his eyes. He stretched out, yawned and flopped back on his bed just in time for his mother to come in.

"Ohayou, Kaa-san." he greeted.

"Get up now or you'll be late for your practice." Saime told her son. She was about to leave when…" oh I remember, Ryoma-kun dropped by this morning, I mean 1 am-morning to give you something. I think he said he left it on your nightstand." With this, she left.

"1 am? Weird. And I don't even remember waking up." he muttered. He saw a white envelope on his bedside table. "Hmm…what could this be?" he took the parcel and ripped it open.

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The rest of the Seigaku regulars soon arrived.

"As usual, O'chibi's late again." Eiji said.

"I wonder how many laps he'll receive from Buchou." Momo muttered.

"That is so like Echizen." Fuji smiled.

"You're wrong." Inui spoke up. "He was actually here even before me. But now I couldn't find him."

"What? Echizen? Here? Early?" Eiji and Momo cried.

"This is a miracle." They heard Oishi muttered.

"Fshuu…"

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Ohtori sat frozen on his bed. In front of his was the ripped envelope, a cassette tape and a small note saying, "I love you, goodbye". He was still in a state of shock when he played the tape.

_Wish I could be the one_

_The one who could give you love_

_The kind of love you really need_

_Wish I could say to you_

_That I'll always stay with you_

_But baby that's not me_

'I-I don't understand. Is he breaking up with me?' Ohtori asked himself. He felt a shiver ran down his spine. 'n-no…this couldn't be happening. He's not breaking up with me. My stupid brain is just making these stupid thoughts up!'

_You need someone willing to give their heart and soul to you_

_Promise you forever, baby that's something I can't do_

_Oh I could say that I'll be all you need_

_But that would be a lie_

_I know I'd only hurt you_

_I know I'd only make you cry_

_I'm not the one you needed_

_I love you, goodbye_

'n-no…please no…' he soon felt tears trickle down his face. 'I don't want to believe this…n-no…'

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Ryoma is definitely feeling sick right now. Aside from the nausea, his heart is beating too fast. There was an unexplainable pain in his chest, arms and stomach and yet he continued to walk on until he reached his house.

"I should've laid off the energy powder." He muttered as he gasped for air.

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_Hope someday you can_

_Find some way to understand I'm only doing this for you_

_I don't really wanna go_

"Why?! Why?!" Ohtori cried in despair. "What made you leave me, Neko-chan?" his outburst made his parents bolt into his room.

"Choutarou, what's going on?" Kaoru asked. Saime just immediately sat next to her son and cradled him in her arms.

_But deep in my heart I know this is the kindest thing to do_

_You'll find someone who'll be the one that I could never be_

_Who'll give you something better_

_Than the love you'll find with me_

"He's breaking up with me, Kaa-san." Choutarou choked out. Kisa soon joined them. "I don't understand why. Oh god…"

"There, there…maybe there's some explanation for this." Saime soothed her son.

"What's this? Ryo-kun and Chou-kun broke up?" Kisa asked. Her question just elicited an undignified wail from Ohtori (A/N: Ha! Always wanted to do that!) And sighs of frustration for their parents. "Gomen…"

_Oh I could say that I'll be all you need_

_But that would be a crime_

_I know I'd only hurt you_

_I know I'd only make you cry_

_I'm not the one you needed_

_I love you, goodbye_

"I don't understand…w-we were ok last night…we w-were h-having f-fun." Ohtori sobbed.

Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. "I'm going to call Nanjiroh—"he turned around only to see his mother blocking his way.

"I think Choutarou is old enough to handle his problems." Grandma Ohtori said.

"But—"

"Whatever it is, it should be resolved by Ryoma-kun and Choutarou by themselves."

"I don't think I'd be able to survive without him."

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Ryoma stumbled upon their door, barely holding his body up. He looks like he's going to pass out any minute. The pain in his chest just doubled every time he gasps for breath.

"Ta-tadaima…."

Nanako happened to have heard the noise and decided to come down and see what was happening. She was utterly shocked to see Ryoma sprawled by the doorway.

"RYOMA-SAMA!!!!!!!"

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_Leaving someone when you love so much_

_Is the hardest thing to do_

_When you love someone as much as I love you_

Ohtori rushed out of their house to look for the freshman. 'I'm not going to let it end this way. No. I love you so much I'll die without you.' he turned around the block only to bump into his senpai-tachi, Oshitari and Gakuto.

"Why the rush Ohtori? And you're not even in your training clothes." Gakuto wrinkled his nose at the sight of the disheveled boy.

"I'm not attending the practice today senpai." Ohtori blurted out.

Oshitari raised his eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"I can't stay too long. I gotta find Ryoma." the sophomore replied, getting a little annoyed.

"Huh?"

"He broke up with me ok!?" and with this the sophomore sped away.

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_Oh, I don't wanna leave you_

_Baby it tears me up inside_

_But I'll never be the one you needed_

_I love you, goodbye_

The whole Echizen residence had gone awry as they rushed the freshman to the hospital. Nanjiroh was only able to leave a very silly message on their buzzer before they heaved the boy into the ambulance.

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Ohtori ran all the way to Ryoma's house; his brain is not registering any signs of fatigue. 'I need him. I need to clear things up….oh god…'

Five more streets from the freshman's house the ambulance passed by him.

_Baby, it's never ganna work out_

_I love you, goodbye_

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"Nya!!! It's very boring without O'chibi around." Kikumaru complained. It has been two hours already and still no updates on the freshman.

Tezuka scanned the court with a small amount of anxiety. 'Something's wrong…I don't know it yet but something's definitely wrong.

"Mitsu…" Tezuka turned around to see Fuji smiling at him.

"Yes Syusuke?"

'We have guests." The tensai gestured to the group of kids, of Hyotei tennis players waiting outside the courts.

"Take five!" Tezuka barked before approaching them. The rest of the Seigaku-tachi followed their captain.

"What's going on?" Tezuka asked. Hyotei regulars such as Oshitari, Gakuto, Jiroh and Atobe turned to him. Tezuka noticed the gleam in Atobe's eyes.

"Are you here for a game?" Eiji asked.

"No." Gakuto snapped at him.

Oshitari cleared his throat. "We're just wondering if Ohtori dropped by earlier. He's been looking for Echizen-kun."

"No. he's never been here." Oishi said. Then his motherly-instinct caught up with him. "Is there something wrong? Did they had a fight?"

Hearing this Tezuka's eyes narrowed. 'Now what the hell is going on here?'

Jiroh looked squeamish. "I don't think we're in the position to tell you this…" he muttered.

Fuji's eyes were wide open now, adding to the tension in the air. "Out with it."

Atobe huffed. "Echizen and Ohtori broke up. Now my kohai is searching the whole damn city like a mad dog looking for your kohai." He tired his best not to smirk. 'Now he doesn't have to do that at all. I'm the one who'll look for my Ryoma.'

"Broke up? But they're practically married!!!!" Momo blurted out. Shishido suddenly appeared from nowhere looking very flushed.

"Did you find him?" Gakuto was the first to recover from Momo's outburst.

"N-no…" Shishido panted. A few seconds later they saw Ohtori jogging up to them.

"Is he here?" he asked, trying to stop the tears from escaping his eyes.

"No."

"Oh fuck!" and with this, the poor stricken sophomore collapsed to the ground, sobbing his heart out in front of the bewildered players.

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No one spoke fore almost an hour now as they waited for the results. They just sat there inside Ryoma's hospital room, waiting for the boy to wake up and for the doctor to tell them what happened to their little prince. Their prayers were answered not long after when the doctor, Dr. Satori, came in with Ryoma's chart.

"What happened to him?" Nanjiroh asked.

"Is he going to be ok?" Nanako added.

"How long will be stay here? Does he need surgery?" Rinko was bordering hysteria.

The doctor sighed. "He's out of the woods right now but please be informed that if you were not able to bring him in earlier, he could've had a terrible cardiac arrest."

"Cardiac arrest?!" Nanjiroh cried in disbelief. "You're nuts."

"Nanjiroh?!" Rinko said indignantly before turning back to the doctor. "How could've this happened?"

"You're son suffered from an acute angina pectoris." The doctor announced. "This is not as dangerous as heart attack but if left untreated it could lead to one in the future. We also found out alarming amounts of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine in his system. These are the things that caused, triggered and aggravated his illness in relation to depression. Do you know anything about this?"

The three were silent for a minute.

"M-my cousin is going through a rough time as of this moment. He's had a couple of tequilas last night." Nanako gave her uncle an uneasy glance. "He's also had a history of smoking."

"That explains the first two substances. But what about the caffeine overdose?"

"H-he drank two mugs of black coffee this morning. And he also took a packet of energy powder."

"WHAT?!" Rinko and Nanjiroh blurted out.

"That must've been the catalyst. Now just give him a full two-day rest and he'll be fine. I suggest you keep him away from the three substances that I mentioned. It'll do your son some good." And with this he strode out of the room.

"This is unbelievable." Nanjiroh blurted out.

Rinko soon dissolved into tears. "I don't want to go through this again." Nanjiroh held her close as she cried. "Seeing him destroy himself after Carlos died was hell enough for me…I don't want him to do the same now that he and Choutarou are not together anymore."

"Shhh…he survived Carlos' death. He'll survive this one." Nanjiroh told her. He glanced at Ryoma's sleeping form and sighed. 'I really wish he would.'

Nanako stood up with a new air of determination in her. "I know a way for him to survive this."

The two looked up to her in surprise. "What's on your mind, Nanako?"

"I'll take him to Arizona in two days."

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"Now, now Ohtori-kun…maybe this is just a misunderstanding." Oishi comforted the boy. They brought him inside the clubhouse for privacy.

"I just don't understand why he would do such a thing." Ohtori blurted out, eyes are already puffy from crying too hard and too long. "I went to their house and no one was there. I buzzed and it informed me that the whole family is flying back to America to sort some problems."

"Maybe you did something stupid to make him leave you." Tezuka spoke up, causing everyone to gape at him. 'How dare you Ohtori?! I told you not to hurt him!!'

"Now, now Mitsu don't make such a hasty judgment. We all care for Echizen but it's not right to put the blame on Ohtori-kun alone." Fuji came to the sophomore's defense. 'And why are you so affected by this?'

The door opened and in came Ryuzaki-sensei looking very annoyed. "I have some announcement." With this everybody smartened up. "I just got off the phone with Ryoma's parents…"

"Really?! Where is he?" Ohtori suddenly asked.

"Ohtori…really…" Atobe muttered in annoyance.

"…and they informed me that they are out of the country as of this moment. They will be back in a week or so. They said they had some problems regarding insurance. They had to bring Ryoma along."

"N-no…"

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"But you heard the doctor Nanako. He needs rest." Rinko protested. "Submitting him under your training program might kill him. You barely survived the last time you did it."

"But Rinko-baa-san, he cannot succumb into depression as well. Not only that his emotions will be diverted to something good, he'll be able to improve his basic skills to keep him at the top of the tennis hierarchy." Nanako reasoned out.

"Nanjiroh! You're not possibly considering her suggestion. You son might die—"

"I'll let him go…" Nanjiroh announced, leaving Rinko dumbstruck and Nanako pleased. "…in one condition…"

"What is it Oij-sama?"

"You'll modify the training to accommodate his condition and…" he paused

"And?"

"I'm coming with you."

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Ryoma woke up the day after, looking very confused at the luggage in front of him. "What's going on?" he asked.

Rinko, who happened to be the one baby-sitting him sighed. "You, your dad and Nanako are flying to Arizona tomorrow night."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. "For what reason?"

"For you to forget and move on."

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A/N: there!!!!! Finally I was able to give reason for Carlos' absence. The reason for his death however will not be revealed until a few chapters. I like cliffies.

1 Extra Joss- a locally produced energy powder composed of ginseng powder, lots of taurine and lots and lots of caffeine. Mix it with water and you're good for the whole day. Combine it with something stronger like Pepsi X and you'll be wide awake for three straight days. It's not very advisable for kids and those with weak cardio-health. Side-effects range from hyperventilation to tachycardia or heart attack.

Angina pectoris- this is my favorite disease so far. My foster mother in the community where I serve as a health educator suffers from the same illness. It results from the constriction of the coronary artery, making it impossible for enough blood from the heart to get to the other parts of the body. It could be caused by a lot of things such as high-cholesterol level, severe cases of smoking and drinking substances that are high in caffeine that can cause vasoconstriction.

You gotta love ANATOMY!!!!!

Ok…next chapter you see Ryoma in Arizona with Nanako and Ohtori finding out why Tezuka abandoned Ryoma.

NOW LEAVE A REVIEW AND MAKE ME HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	23. why?

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Why?". Avril does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Ryoma woke in just in time for them to start preparing for their arrival. He's never been to Arizona in almost 5 years. The last was the terrifying summer vacation where they accompanied Nanako in her training for one of the biggest shows in Dream Theater, the Altaria Descent where Nanako was still the star of the circus. Her gruesome training program led to a severe shoulder injury that ended her career as an acrobat.

"You ok?" Nanako asked as they drove off to the Canyons.

"Why are we here, exactly?" Ryoma asked. He gave his father a questioning glance but the latter did not reply.

"Do you still want to be on top of the Japanese Tennis Hierarchy, Ryoma?" Nanako asked him. A sad smile was forming in her lips.

"Of course I do." Ryoma scoffed. "What kind of a question is that?"

"And are you still depressed, frustrated and angry about what happened to you and Choutarou-kun?" she asked again. She could feel the tension rising in the air as Ryoma stiffened at her question.

"I-I…"

"I'll help you improve everything, you strength, power, endurance, speed, coordination, flexibility and whatnot…just promise me one thing." Nanako turned to look at him.

"What is it?"

"Channel every bit of pain you're feeling to the program."

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The Rikkai boys with Yuuta gathered at RJ's to discuss the latest buzz with the Seigaku-tachi sans Tezuka and Fuji.

"That is so sad to hear." Jackal muttered after Eiji finished a very dramatic and detailed recount of the Saturday fiasco.

"If ever Ohtori's the one at fault, I wouldn't be able to forgive him." Yukimura muttered, his once-soft eyes gleamed in anger.

"But by the looks of it, Ohtori-kun doesn't even know the reason why Echizen broke up with him. He just said that Ryoma left him a song saying that he's not the one Ohtori-kun needs to be happy." Oishi replied in Ohtori's defense.

Sanada's eyes lingered to Kirihara and Yuuta. "What's your take on this? Echizen's practically your best friend."

Kirihara pouted. "I haven't been in contact with Ryoma for a few days as well. I've told Sylvan what happened and I'm hoping he'll get back on me once they meet up in US."

"And I'm guessing they do not like the idea of Ryoma's being depressed. James-kun even threatened to mess up Ohtori's life." Yuuta added.

"This is bad…" Marui muttered.

The door opened and to their surprise, Dr. Mihara with a girl and a woman in a wheelchair came in.

"Dr. Mihara!" Yukimura waved at them. The cheerful doctor smiled at the familiar faces in front of him.

"Seichi-kun! I'm glad to see you doing fine." The man wheeled the woman towards their table while the girl checks out the displays.

"Guys, this is the man who saved my life, Dr. Ichiro Mihara." Yukimura said.

The boys stood up to pay respect to the old man. "Oh that is just too much, Seichi-kun. Anyway, this is my wife, Shuuko and that is my daughter, Misaki." the pretty woman in the wheelchair smiled at them.

"It's nice to meet such fine young gentlemen." She said, making the boys blush.

"So you're a fan of RJ's as well, Dr. I-chan?" Kirihara asked.

"Akaya?!" Sanada reprimanded the junior ace.

"It's ok. I like people calling me Dr. I-chan. and yeah, I love it here. The coffee's great and so are the cakes." then he turned to Yukimura as his wife excused approaching their daughter. " have you thanked Ryo-kun already?"

Confusion was written all over their faces especially Yukimura's. Kirihara and Yuuta on the other hand exchanged nervous glances.

"What does Echizen have to do with him, Hakase?" Niou asked. The moment realization dawned on the poor doctor.

"So you don't know yet?" he asked.

"Don't know what, Dr. I-chan?" Yukimura asked. He glanced at Yuuta and Kirihara questioningly.

"Uh…." The two fidgeted under Yukimura's glare.

Then they heard Dr. I-chan sighed. "Seichi-kun, the truth is it was Ryoma Echizen who referred your case to me. And since the Echizens are our family friends and Ryo-kun promised to help in my daughter's rehabilitation, I agreed to do your surgery pronto." He explained.

Silence…

"WHAT?!?!" and all hell broke loose.

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Nanjiroh soon bid farewell and left the two inside their mountain cabin.

"What program is this?" Ryoma asked again.

Nanako sighed. "You'll be submitted to a modified Altaria Descent training program…"

"WHAT?!!" Ryoma was flabbergasted. "Are you trying to kill me? I know I'm suffering from severe emotional turmoil right now but I'm not suicidal, Nanako!!" He protested.

"Shut up ok?!" Nanako snapped at him. "I said it was modified, meaning you will not be submitted to the same program I was in."

Ryoma groaned. "This is so not the type of wallowing that I need."

"Come on; let's start climbing 30 ft from the base of the canyon. Tomorrow it'll be forty and the height adds up until we're reached the cabin. After that you will have muscle strength and power building training through swings with a bat weighing from 5-25 kg as the days go by. During the afternoon we will have endurance test using the "push-ball" method, with a metal ball as heavy as you are. And last, we'll increase your stamina, agility, speed and coordination through a game of streamline tennis by the brook. After that—"

"I'M TELLING YOU I'M NOT SUICIDAL!!!" Ryoma screamed, as in girly scream. He doesn't care if he'll look uncool but the training program is atrocious. "You're career as an acrobat was cut short when you got into an accident during the training. I have no intention of doing the same thing."

"You will do what I say or you will not be going back to Japan, EVER!!" Nanako cried back, surprising Ryoma. Nanako is always a good-natured girl but now, it looks like she's turned into someone else.

"Fine…" Ryoma gave in after a few minutes of silence. "But I'll haunt your for the rest of your life if I die because of your program." He turned on his heels and left. "And to think that the doctor said I should not be stressed out…"

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Ohtori found unexpected confidants in Kirihara and Yuuta. The first purpose of the two was to grill the poor boy when he happened to stumble into Island Cove to get information about the break up but soon after Ohtori started talking, they were unable to help themselves but pity him.

'It was truly uncharacteristic of Ryoma to turn his back from Ohtori…' Kirihara muttered. "…after all that they have been through…'

'I pity him for being left alone in the dark.' Yuuta muttered. 'Ryoma should've at least had the decency to explain everything.' He studied the ruffled boy. Ohtori's sporting a pair of red baggy eyes which Kirihara suspects to be caused by excessive crying, a hoarse voice which Yuuta assumes to be associated with the first observation. The Hyotei sophomore looked so disgruntled.

"Has he contacted you yet?" Ohtori asked.

"N-no." the two boys snapped out of their reverie. "I'm afraid he has Sylvan and James' hands tied since they haven't been contacting us ever since Ryoma left."

An uneasy silence fell amongst them.

"Bummer." Ohtori muttered. "This must've have been the same feeling he had when Tezuka-san left him."

"Ohtori-kun?"

They turned around only to see Rinko, standing behind them looking very worried.

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It was day three of their training and Ryoma wanted to just jump off the canyon and be done with it. Nanako's been a total pain in the ass as she screamed in his ears while they rock climbed up the canyon. He could almost hear every fiber of muscle in his body groaning and cursing him. He must've had almost 300 swings done, exchanging from three different bats, one weighing 10 kg, the other is 15 and the last was 20. He's lost count of the bruises, the cuts and scratches all over his body and wondered what his mom would do if she sees him right now.

'She'll do something blood-curdling…something that I have never known, or probably will never want to know in my entire life.' Ryoma muttered as he awaited the next swing of the metal ball towards him.

"Think of a way to neutralize the acceleration of the ball so that you will be able to catch it with one hand and push it back, strong enough to make the ball swing back to me." Nanako said. Oh how much Ryoma wanted to hurl the ball right back to her face.

"If my shoulder gets damaged by this, I'll make sure I break yours a hundred times so that I'll feel so much better!!!" Ryoma roared.

"Yeah, yeah…now get it!!!" Nanako taunted before she released the ball once more. "Lash out all your anger towards the ball!"

Ryoma gritted his teeth as he focused on the incoming pendulum of death. He held his left hand. 'You better stop this Ryoma or else…'

"YOU DORK! YOU FREAK, YOUR SLIMMY CREEP!!!!" He screamed just as his palms touched the ball. "I HOPE YOU GO TO HELL AND DIE…YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!" he stepped back as he let his palm reduce the spin on the metal ball until it's no long spinning. He bent his back further as he focused all his force to push the ball back to his cousin.

Silence reined the forest clearing as Ryoma collapsed into the ground, limp and panting. Nanako was utterly speechless when the ball whirled passed her, nearly missing her face.

"T-take t-that…yeah…" Ryoma huffed. "y-you'll n-never b-break me…" and with that he lapsed into unconsciousness.

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Rinko had them huddled together in one table.

"Rinko-baa-san, do you have any idea why Ryoma decided to end our relationship?" Ohtori asked, tears welled up his eyes almost instantly. Every time he remembers their break-up he breaks down almost instantly.

Rinko sighed. "I'm really sorry, Choutarou-kun. He hasn't said anything about it. And knowing my son, he'll never tell anyone. That's who he is."

"Echizen-san, was it like this when he and Tezuka broke up?" Yuuta asked.

Rinko stared at them in surprise. "How did you know about the two of them?" she asked.

"Ryoma told me even before we started dating." Ohtori said. "I found him in a music shop, playing a sad song and that's when I realize what was going on." A single tear fell down his face. "I was there the whole time he tried to heal himself from the pain."

Rinko sighed as Kasumi laid down the mugs of hot chocolate in front of them. "I may have something to do with that." She said.

"What are you trying to say, Rinko-baa-san?" Ohtori asked.

"I think I'm the one who made Kunimitsu-kun leave Ryoma."

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Nanako handed him a steaming bowl of soup. It wasn't after three hours that he decided to wake up, only to find out that Nanako's already preparing their lunch.

"You were amazing earlier." Nanako smiled at him as he devoured his soup. "I was never able to hurl that metal ball back with such speed and spin."

"Che! I just pictured your face on the ball and then that's it." he scoffed.

This made Nanako chuckle. "Oh no Ryo-sama. You do not hate me." he eyed at him through the rim of her mug. "I was merely a medium to unleash that anger, that rage inside you."

"Whatever."

"Tell me…" she handed him his plate filled with sizzling steak and mashed potatoes. "…who was it exactly?"

"What are you talking about?" Ryoma glared at her.

"Who was that whom you visualized on the metal ball?"

They fell into an uneasy silence as Ryoma stuffed his mouth with food to avoid answering the question.

"What is Tezuka-kun?"

"No."

"What is Carlos?"

"No stupid."

"Was it Choutarou-kun?"

"No."

"Then who was it?"

"Me."

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"I thought it will not matter since it's just the past." Rinko said. She held three gazes. "I told him about Ryoma and Carlos." She could visibly see how Yuuta and Kirihara stiffened at the statement.

"Carlos? You mean one of Ryoma's best friends?" Ohtori asked.

Rinko sighed. "Looks like Ryoma forgot to tell you as well."

"Tell me what?" Ohtori asked.

Rinko took out a picture from her wallet and showed it to the boys. It was a picture of Ryoma with the infamous redhead, in a compromising position where the boys were sleeping but the redhead's arms are wrapped around the brunette who in turn was snuggled close to the boy.

"You mean…" Ohtori was dumbfounded. Only a fool cannot tell the real score between the two. He felt a painful tug in his heart.

"Carlos was Ryoma's first love." Rinko said. "I showed this picture to Kunimitsu-kun and I think it made him insecure with his place in Ryoma's heart. Not only that Carlos was his first boyfriend, their relationship was not one which rose from attraction. They were the best of friends. Theirs was rooted deeper than that. Call it destiny or something. They've been together even before they could talk."

The truth shook Ohtori's entire being.

"To think of it, Carlos is a bit similar to you. He's soft-spoken and very kind. Ryoma and the others often referred him the Saint of Chilton." Rinko took the picture and hid it. "All four of them vowed that they'll be together from cradle to grave. But time's changed now. Ryoma's not a fool to cling to the past. That is the reason why he was able to let himself try and love again." A tear trickled down her cheek. "And yet people seem to have misunderstood his efforts to hide Carlos."

"But there's a good point in that, Echizen-san. It'll make people assume that he's still attached to the past." Kirihara said. It was then and there that Ohtori was unable to hold back any longer as he let the tears flow freely.

Rinko held the poor boy's hands. "Choutarou-kun, look at me…" the boy hesitantly met her gaze. " I know you're thinking that everything you shared with my son is just a lie, a cover-up for Carlos but no. please believe me." the pain of a mother flashed in her eyes. "There is a reason why he doesn't talk about Carlos and only he has the right to decide if he'll share it with you or not but be assured that once my son says he loves you, he does." She squeezed his hands firmly. "He's not the type of person who plays with other people's feelings. He maybe seen as an arrogant kid but remember that all of those are just facades that he put up to protect himself."

"Baa-san…"

"Please." Rinko sobbed. "Love should not be created by words but by feelings; not by humans but by hearts. Love is not how you forget but how you forgive; not how you listen but how you understand; not what you see but what you feel and most of all, Ohtori-kun, it is not how you let go but how you hold on."

'It's true. If I love him as much as I have voiced out, I should not let this small thing break us apart. If loving him will not be easy then I don't give a damn.' Ohtori mused as a new-found courage rushed through his veins.

"Don't worry, Baa-san." Ohtori wiped his tears and hers. "I will not let him off so easily."

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"Did you even try to hear out Choutarou's side of the story?" Nanako asked after Ryoma told her about the terrace incident. "I mean, maybe you're just assuming too much."

"So what if I'm assuming too much, Nanako?" Ryoma snapped at her. "Tell me, if you've been burned by drinking hot chocolate for the second time, wouldn't you be scared to try again? You don't know how much I tried to tell myself that I have to hear him out. Call me coward or a moron but you cannot blame me for doing otherwise."

"Ryoma…"

"It is indeed sad that in our lives, we have to say goodbye to those we love and care about for some reasons we can barely explain…" Ryoma muttered. "…and that no matter how you try to hold on to the love you had, it just wouldn't work. The only right thing left to do is to break away and let go to prove to them just how much pain you're willing to take to make them so damn happy…"

"But what if he never wanted to be with Shishido-kun in the first place? What if—"

"But what if I didn't come into the picture? If I didn't go and convinced myself that it's ok to let someone inside my heart once more, they would be happy together now. They've been together longer that I had been with them. Tezuka's been with Fuji for three years. They were bound to be together but no…I just had to have my pretty ass in the picture. Choutarou's been Shishido's best friend for two years. They could've been together in the first place but no…I had to have someone to hold on to now that both Carlos and Tezuka exited my life." Ryoma muttered bitterly.

"I think you're being too harsh on yourself." Nanako told him.

"No. I deserve this. "He met his cousin's gaze. " Carlos was the one for me. Now that he's six feet under, I do not have the right to look for someone new for, for I-I end up ruining promising relationships in my quest for love and redemption."

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Ohtori summoned up his courage to stand on stage once more. The only difference is there's no Ryoma to tell him that everything will be ok.

_Why, do you always do this to me?_

_Why, couldn't you just see through me?_

_How come, you act like this_

_Like you just don't care at all_

_Do you expect me to believe I was the only one to fall?_

_I could feel I could feel you near me, even though you're far away_

_I could feel I could feel you baby, why_

'I'm not going to turn out like Tezuka-san. I don't care about what you and Carlos had in the past.' Ohtori mused as the crowd started to sway to his song. 'I'm the present and I will be your future. I told you once that I'll never let go and I'll stay true to that.'

_It's not supposed to feel this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me, do you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me, why_

Kirihara glanced at the Hyotei sophomore in between plucking the guitar strings. 'I don't have the guts to say it out loud but I'm proud of you, Ohtori-kun. You showed everyone just how much you love my friend by sticking up to him.'

Yuuta was thinking along the same lines as they played side by side with Ohtori-kun. 'I promise I will do everything in my power to get the two of you back together. There's no other guy perfect enough for my friend other than you.'

_Hey, listen to what we're not saying_

_Let's play, a different game than what we're playing_

_Try, to look at me and really see my heart_

_Do you expect me to believe I'm gonna let us fall apart?_

_I could feel I could feel you near me, even when you're far away_

_I could feel I could feel you baby, why_

Rinko smiled as she watched from behind the counter. 'That's right Ohtori-kun. I don't think Carlos would object. Come to think of it, I think you're that person he was talking about just right before he drew his last breath. The strength of your love for my son will be tested and I know that you will emerge as the victor.'

"He's really good ne, Rinko-sama?" Kasumi came up to her.

"That's what you get from a future part of my family."

_It's not supposed to feel this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me, you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me, why_

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Sanada just shook his head. 'This is absurd.' He could feel an impending headache.

"You've got to be kidding Seichi. Maybe you're just confused—"

Yukimura glared at the Data Master which shut him up. "What's so wrong about it? They're not together anymore. He saved my life. I like him. I don't want to see Atobe gloating in victory. Everything falls into place. I will go after Echizen." he said.

"Now you're just being stubborn." Niou muttered.

"Buchou…think about this carefully." Yagyuu said.

"We don't want to see you hurting in the end." Jackal added.

"Trust me. Once Echizen's mine, nothing could ever go wrong." With this, the handsome captain left the clubroom.

"Gen, you've got to stop him." Yanagi turned to Sanada.

"I know Renji." The fukubuchou glared at his friend. "I just don't know how to do it."

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_So go and think about whatever you need to think about_

_Go ahead and dream about whatever you need to dream about_

_And come back to me when you know just how you feel, you feel_

_I could feel I could feel you near me, even though you're far away_

_I could feel I could feel you baby, why_

'I'll wait for your return Neko-chan. I'll prove you wrong about that you said in the past that reuniting with someone who left you is pointless. Now that I've learned the truth, I couldn't help but love you even more.' Ohtori mused as he sang the last part of the song.

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

_Tell me_

'Go ahead and take your time. I have told you once while you were asleep that I'm a patient man.' He closed his eyes as he felt his insides lightened up. 'I've waited for you once; twice…I do not care if I had to wait a lifetime just to get you back.'

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day_

_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you, I need you_

_Tell me, are you and me still together?_

_Tell me, do you think we could last forever?_

_Tell me, why_

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"So you're troubled that he might regress into his destructive behavior once more now that he and his boyfriend broke up." Lorenz muttered.

Nanjiroh sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore." He buried his face into his hands. "I don't want to see him destroy his self bit by bit just like what he did after Carlos died." Soon he felt a warm hand soothing his back.

"Don't worry, Jiroh. You're son is a fighter." Rodrigo smiled at them. "We've seen how he matured after two years. I think he knows better than self-destruct again."

"True…but he will never make it on his own." Warren added. "He needs us."

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Sleep is taking a long time to engulf Ryoma so he went out to the veranda of the cabin and stared out into the starry sky.

"I do hope you're doing fine without me, Chou-chou for I'm not." He smiled bitterly at the ever-twinkling stars. "I will always love you. Always remember that…"

"Do you know the place between asleep and awake, Chou-chou? The phase where you still remember dreaming?" Ryoma sighed. "That's where I'll always love you…that's where I'll wait…"

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A/N: AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW…………I really wish that this angst would end coz I love ChouRyo but I just had to have it this way….TT oh well…

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND MAKE ME HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	24. i hate everyone

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "I hate everyone". Get Set Go does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Friday: Ryoma was glad that it was the last day of his "Hell Week" with Nanako. He was not happy though when Nanako saddled him up with a total of 30 kg of weight. There were leg weights weighing 4 kg each, wrist bands weighing 2.5 kg each. A training vest underneath his shirt weighing a gruesome 12 kg and last but not the least would be the sand belts weighing 5 kg. It was ok for him since he gained so much from their training but he looks funny in front of the mirror with everything bulging at the wrong places.

"Nanako…" Ryoma's eyes narrowed, showed his cat-like slits. "…what the hell is this for?"

Nanako had to suppress her giggle. "You'll be playing a game with someone who will attest your improvement. You will start wearing these on until we get back to Japan."

"But I look like a waddling idiot with these on!" Ryoma protested.

"Once we get back to Glendale, I'll look for the fashionable types." She then threw him his coat which he struggled to catch. "Let's go."

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"I have an announcement to make." Sakaki-sensei said once he got all of the regulars into the clubroom for a meeting before they go home. It was almost 7 pm. "the Nationals are fast approaching. The other coaches and I had discussed that it's best for all of you to join a camp where you can unwind and also polish your skills against other schools."

"REALLY?!" Jiroh was ecstatic.

"Now this should be fun." Gakuto added.

"Who are the schools participating?" Oshitari asked. He glanced at Ohtori who didn't seem like he's interested.

"The usual….Hyotei, Seigaku, Rikkai, Fudomine, Rokkaku, Yamabuki, St. Rudolph and Jyosei Shounan."

"But the last three are not participants of the Nationals." Atobe's eyes narrowed.

"That's why it'll be a chance for everyone to improve on their tennis." Sakaki-sensei told him.

"Where will it be held?" Shishido asked, glancing uneasily at Ohtori. They haven't talked since last Saturday.

"Banji-sensei was the one who proposed the site. It's in Akita. We've checked out the property and it's perfect."

"When?" Ohtori finally spoke up.

"Monday next week. Pack your things now. We'll be there for five days only." Sakaki-sensei told them.

"Why Monday? Why not leave this Sunday?" Atobe asked. "Wouldn't it be convenient for all to leave on a Sunday since there's no traffic?"

"We leave Monday so that Japan's no. 1 tennis player in the junior division would be able to join." The coach's eyes lingered meet Ohtori's wide ones.

"You mean—"

"Ryoma Echizen will be joining the camp. That's what his father told us when he called yesterday."

"Ohh….what fun."

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Ryoma collapsed into the water just as the last announcement was called.

"GAME AND MATCH IN FAVOR OF NANJIROH ECHIZEN!"

"Oi Shounen, you've improved." Nanjiroh dust off his robe of invisible sand not caring if his son is already drowning or what.

"NANJIROH!!!!!"

"I mean you've sped up—WHAT?!" He snapped at the person who cut off his litany.

"STOP GLOATING ALREADY OR YOUR SON WILL BE DEAD IN A MINUTE!!!!!" Janet screamed. Nanjiroh snapped out of his daze when he saw Dominic, Rayver and Mathieu rushing towards them. It was then that he realized that his unconscious son is slowly drifting down the river.

"Oh shit!!!" he threw the badminton racket he's holding and swam powerfully towards Ryoma's body.

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The news about the upcoming camp made everybody giddy and gathered in RJ's to discuss. Everyone was there, heralding chaos. It was unfortunate enough that it was Kirihara and Yuuta who were in-charge of the shop while Tsubame helps out in IC.

"Really, you always choose the right time to assemble." Kirihara glared at his Niou sempai who was the one responsible for the sudden increase of the population inside the cake shop.

"Gomen…I just couldn't help speed-dialing other people's numbers." The trickster sneered.

"Wow so O'chibi will be back by Monday then!" Eiji danced around the place. He then stopped when everybody went silent and glanced at Ohtori.

"It's ok, minna-san." Ohtori smiled at them. "I'm ok now. Once Ryoma returns I'll make up with him."

"Good—"

It was interrupted such a haughty laugh from Atobe. "You? Make up with him?" his eyes glinted in malice. "I don't think so."

That comment made Ohtori's insides burn. "A penny for your thoughts Atobe-buchou?" he put his arms across his chest to face up the challenge. He made sure he stated Atobe's name oozing with sarcasm.

"Fufu…I will ignore that tone, sophomore." he went closer to the boy, not caring if he's a foot taller. "I will snag him even before your gangly limbs could even touch his skin."

"This is an inappropriate behavior for a captain, Atobe." Tezuka warned.

"Shut up." the diva snapped at him. This earned gasps from the rest of the kids inside.

"Oi! No fighting inside the shop senpai-tachi!" Yuuta cried nervously.

"That is if I even let you come near him." Ohtori replied, reciprocating his captain's angry glare.

"Oi Choutarou, stop that." Shishido hissed at his doubles partner.

"no.' Ohtori snapped at him. " I stayed silent for a long time about this and I don't think this situation merits more of that."

"You know, you two can go on fighting and bitchin' each other for eternity but I don't care." The statement came from the person sitting by the counter which is no other than Yukimura. "He's mine."

And pandemonium broke out until…

"He's not a toy which you could just own and show off to everybody!!!" Tezuka yelled at the three.

"Stay out of this!" the three yelled back.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the room froze instantly. They turned to see Rinko looking very murderous.

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"Uncle Jiroh is in a deep shit."

'I know that voice…' Ryoma thought as he started to gain consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes as two blurred figures appeared above him. 'Argh! It feels like my head's been pounded into a pulp!' he blinked a couple of times and then everything came into focus. He could see James' and Sylvan's worried faces looming over him and realized that they're in his room. He tried to speak but no words came out of his mouth.

"It's ok Ryo." He took the glass of water from his nightstand. "Help him up, James." And the blonde boy carefully helped the Japanese boy to sit up and rest against the headboard. And since he still couldn't lift his hands for reasons he couldn't remember, Sylvan had to hold the glass to his lips so that he could sip the precious liquid.

"Wow…thanks" Ryoma breathed out once he felt his throat revitalized. "What happened? Why is everything spinning? When did we arrive?"

Sylvan and James were taken aback by the sudden fire of questions.

"Well?" Ryoma raised his eyebrow. "Earth to dumdums, I'm asking you're a question!"

"Well, it's questions Ryoma." James cleared his throat. "I only have one answer to all of your questions."

"You nearly drowned after the badminton game with Uncle Jiroh."

"WHAT?!?!"

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The kids were frozen when Ryoma's mother stormed inside the shop and to the counter.

"E-Echizen-san…?" Kirihara mumbled anxiously.

"It's ok. You can continue your brawl once I leave." Rinko said as she fumbled for the telephone. "But after I'm done with my call." She said before punching the numbers hard.

Everyone breathed easy as they waited for the woman.

"He's not answering his cell phone." She muttered loud enough for the tennis players to hear. "That git…once I get my hands on him…ah Hello, Nana?" anger flashed in her eyes once more.

"What do you think is happening?" Marui muttered to Niou.

"God knows…" the trickster shrugged. The silence was broken when Rinko started screaming to the phone unit, realizing that she placed it on speaker mode.

"NANJIROH?!?! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR SON?!" the poor woman was red in anger as she paced the length of the counter.

"A-ano…Ahh…he's fine anata—"Nanjiroh's shaking voice was heard.

"JANET SAID HE NEARLY DROWNED TO DEATH NOW TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!?!?!?!" Rinko's now shaking in rage that Yuuta and Kirihara had to hold her close to keep her from thrashing the countertop.

And that started the long nervous rant of Nanjiroh about how they were playing badminton by the river during the morning picnic with Ryoma wearing Nanako's "accessories" to the near-drowning of their little prince.

"But he's ok now. He's asleep and Sylvan and James are watching over him. Even Carlos--"

"I will talk to you later Nanjiroh. Once I get to talk to my son and finds that he's not in a good shape I will haunt your for the rest of your life with a bonfire as big as Mt. Fuji!" and with that she ended the call and slumped down on the seat offered by Yuuta.

"Chiyo! Get me a glass of water for Echizen-sama." Kirihara yelled into the kitchen but it was Ohtori who was already with the water and gave it to Ryoma's mother.

"I shouldn't have left them on their own." She muttered after she calmed down a bit.

"What happened Rinko-baa-san?" Ohtori asked, worry etched on his face.

"They were having a picnic earlier and played a couple of sets of badminton then he collapsed into the water without my idiot of a husband noticing what happened. If Janet didn't scream, my son could've ended up dead right now." She said.

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"Y-you mean I nearly died?" Ryoma whispered, feeling a big lump on his throat as the tears welled up in his eyes.

"But it's ok now, right? You're alive." James anxiously replied.

"Uncle Jiroh was able to grab hold of you before you totally sunk into the river." Sylvan explained.

"B-but…" Ryoma stuttered as the tears started to trickle down his pale cheeks. A hell of a mix of emotions are engulfing his being, making his stomach churn. 'I nearly died…oh god…I nearly died…' Fear, relief, sadness and a whole lot more that made him want to puke.

"Want to hear something funny?" James announced, looking terrified while watching Ryoma. "It's a secret that Sylvan and I kept for years."

Sylvan glared at the blonde. "Huh? What the hell was that?" he asked.

Ryoma looked up to them with his teary, golden orbs. "What is it?"

James shifted his gaze back and forth between Sylvan and Ryoma. "W-well you see…remember when you said before that you didn't want to influence us when you and Carlos hooked up?"

"Y-yeah?" Ryoma hiccupped. (A/N: I just have to say this….SO ADORABLE!!!!!)

"Well, looking back to that memory, it seems really funny now…"

"Out with it, James." Sylvan snapped at him.

"Fine…" James pouted. "I had my first kiss with Sylvan and vice versa." He announced. His wide smile slowly faltered as he waited for a reaction. "Crazy, isn't it?"

Sylvan was unable hold back and slapped his forehead. "Idiot!"

"What?" James protested. He turned to Ryoma, only to see more tears flowing like a river from both golden orbs.

"I-I knew it…" and for the first time since his break up with Ohtori, Ryoma broke down into fits of tears in front of his best friends.

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"I better get going to make sure the club's still intact." Rinko stood up.

"Echizen-san, are you sure you won't need company?" Atobe offered. He felt bad having Ryoma's mother see his not-so-pleasant side.

"I'm ok." Rinko smiled at them. "You go on with your banter and fix it ok?" with this she stepped out of the counter. "Honestly, I could swear I've seen a similar scene two years ago."

"What are you talking about Rinko-baa-sama?" Yuuta asked.

"This scene, you fighting over my son." Rinko smiled. "I've seen this before when Ryoma became a rival for James' reputation of being a walking sex machine. Girls fought over him like the only fresh piece of meat up for sale."

"What?!" the kids cried in unison.

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_Some stupid chick in the check out line_

_Was paying for bears with nickels and dimes_

_And some old man who clipped coupons_

_hand argued whenever they wouldn't take one_

_All I want to do was buy some cigarettes_

_But I couldn't take it anymore so I left_

_I have everyone, I hate everyone, I hate everyone_

_I hate everyo-hohooohooo-one_

Nanako rushed inside Ryoma's room when she heard some faint crashing. When she got in she saw James and Sylvan back up against the wall looking lost and terrified while Ryoma was thrashing on his bed, and wailing, as in wailing with all his might.

"What did you do?!" she turned to the poor stricken boys.

"Nothing!" the cried in unison. "We were just talking and then he just started crying and thrashing around!"

"Ryoma—"Nanako tried to approach the poor but she nearly got a kick in the face in the attempt.

"He doesn't want to be touch." James told her.

"Yeah…you could've warned me at least." Nanako hissed at them before turning her attention back to her bawling cousin. "Ryoma, tell Nee-san what's wrong ok?" she held her hands before her as a shield just in case Ryoma becomes edgy and restless once more.

"MAKE IT STOP!!!" Ryoma shrieked.

_All the people on the streets, I hate you all_

_And the people that I meet, I hate you all_

_And the people that I know, I hate you all_

_And the people that I don't, I hate you all_

_Oh I hate you all…_

"Stop what?!" Nanako yelled back amidst her cousin's wails and the blaring of the stereo. She was about to put it off them Sylvan stopped her.

"He doesn't want that off." The steel-eyed boy muttered fretfully. "I tried to do that but he threw the lampshade at me."

"I SAID MAKE IT STOP!!!!" Ryoma cried again.

"Stop what, Ryoma?!" Nanako asked, frustration eating her up.

"THIS!!!" Ryoma pointed at the steady flow of tears form his eyes. "I TRIED TO STOP BUT I JUST CAN'T! MAKE IT STOP PLEASE!!!!"

_Some fuckin' asshole just cut me off_

_And gave me the "Finger" when I fuckin' honked_

_And proceeded to put on the brakes_

_He slammed on the brakes, but I had made a mistake_

_When I climbed down of my van he was waiting_

_But he was 6'3'' and 200 pounds of Satan_

_I have everyone, I hate everyone, I hate everyone_

_I hate everyo-hohooohooo-one_

"What's going on here?" Mathieu came in.

"We have to make him stop from crying!" Sylvan implored to his older brother.

Rayver appeared beside the eldest of the Beauclaire' siblings, shaking his head. "He's breaking down. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

_All the people on the streets, I hate you all_

_And the people that I meet, I hate you all_

_And the people that I know, I hate you all_

_And the people that I don't, I hate you all_

_Oh I hate you all…_

"What are we going to do?" Nanako was in tears as well.

"We have to do something or else he'll dehydrate!" James yelled at them.

"I SAID SOMEONE FUCKIN' STOP THIS!!!!!!" Ryoma shrieked even louder and more tears spilling from his eyes.

"But how?!?!" everyone asked in unison.

_I bet'cha think I'm kidding, but I promise you it's true_

_I hate almost everybody but most of all_

_I hate…oh I hate you_

"WILL SOMEONE FUCKIN' SEDATE ME ALREADY?!?!?!??!?!?!?"

_All the people on the streets, I hate you all_

_And the people that I meet, I hate you all_

_And the people that I know, I hate you all_

_And the people that I don't, I hate you all_

_Oh I hate you all…_

_And the people in the east, I hate you all_

_And the people I hate least, I hate you all_

_And the people in the west, I hate you all_

_And the people I like best, I hate you all_

_Oh I hate you all…_

And it was only Dominic who was in the right mind to rush out and get a syringe of sedative.

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Nanjiroh came back from his short walk and was surprised that all of them were gathered in the living room, without doing anything or even talking.

"What happened?" he asked.

Rodrigo looked up to him, his face sad and solemn. "Go upstairs, bro. your son needs you."

Nanjiroh didn't think twice as he took two steps at a time just to get to Ryoma. Once he was inside he found Nanako and Mathieu slumped on the sofa bed looking very exhausted while Ryoma was curled up into a ball on his bed, sobbing silently.

He was about to jump on his son when…

"He doesn't want to be touched." Nanako spoke in a hoarse voice.

Nanjiroh just ignored her and gently lay down next to Ryoma. The boy in turn just sobbed harder before snuggling towards his father's warmth.

"It's ok…" Nanjiroh soothed his back. He then turned to Nanako and Mathieu. "We'll be fine. Take her outside, Matt. She looks like she needs some air."

The handsome brunette ushered the girl outside but before stepping out of the door, Nanako cast one last look at her cousin.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

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"Why are you so affected?" Fuji turned to Tezuka when they were walking home. Ever since the debacle his boyfriend has been surrounded by a dangerous aura as if saying "Touch-me-and-you'll-die"

Tezuka's eyes narrowed. "He's our kohai Syusuke." He tried to mask every fiber of emotion he's feeling. "Of course I'm affected. I'm his captain. I'm merely concerned."

Fuji opened his eyes, giving Tezuka an icy glance. "Concerned enough to have nearly punched Ohtori-kun and strangle Atobe and Yukimura?" his voice shaking in anger.

Tezuka was taken aback at his boyfriend's behavior. 'Does he suspects something?' he cleared his throat. "Gomen." He reached out to hold Fuji's hand. "I must've lost control. It's just not right for them to fight over Echizen like he's a piece of meat. He's a person and a boy for heaven's sake."

Fuji's expression softened. 'I thought it was something else.' He smiled at Tezuka. "I'm sorry for ever-reacting. I mean I thought you have some issues regarding Echizen." he placed a gentle peck on the other's cheek. "I guess you're right. I feel bad that they think of Echizen as a trophy to be won."

Tezuka let out a sigh of relief once Fuji wasn't looking. 'That was a close one…"

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"Ne, Shounen…" he gritted his teeth when he felt his son's body trembled. "Everything's going to be ok. Oyaji's here…I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Ryoma mumbled something against his chest. "What is it?"

His heart was shattered when a pair of golden orbs, shinning with more unshed tears looked up to him.

"I wanna go home." Ryoma muttered, his lips quivering.

Nanjiroh felt a hand squeezed his heart. "We will Shounen…our flight back to Japan is tomorrow."

"But I wanna go home now." Ryoma protested. More tears spilled from his eyes.

"Shhh…" Nanjiroh wiped the tears away. He then held Ryoma closer. "Why the rush?"

"I miss Mom and Karupin…" Ryoma choked out. "I miss pillaging Nanako's storage room for gummy bears and tending the bar…I miss singing…" he met his father's gaze. "a-and most of all…I miss Choutarou."

Nanjiroh smiled a little at Ryoma's antics. "You're making up with him?"

"No…" Ryoma sobbed. "He's happy with his Shishido-senpai now…"

"Then why the rush?"

"Because I love him!" Ryoma bit his lip as more tears fell. "It's because I love him that I want to go back. E-even though he's with another person now, I'll be content in watching and loving him from afar…"

Nanjiroh was overwhelmed by his son's selflessness.

"E-even though it'll mean that I have to love him on my own, I'm fine with it. E-even if i-it means that I will always feel pain every time I see them together, it's ok." Ryoma clutched his father's robes. "I just want to see him. I need to see him. Be with him even if we're meters or yards apart."

"I know that by just seeing him happy will eventually make me happy too… I've let my butterfly go so that he'd be happy, even though it means I'll be the one living in misery…"

"You're very brave, Shounen." Nanjiroh held his son's face. "I promise, we're going home right after we said a proper goodbye to your aunts and uncles."

Silence reined inside Ryoma's room.

"Oyaji…?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not telling mom that you almost left me to die earlier…"

"Now that's a good boy…"

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A/N: yehey!!!!! Poor Baby Ryoma…I find it awkward having Yukimura so ruthless but I had no choice…

Thanks to everyone who still loves this story!!!! I promise I'll finish this one!!!!!!

PLEASE MAKE ME HAPPY AND LEAVE A REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	25. dismantled melody

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs and (()) for IM's. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

**IMPORTANT NOTE!** : THIS CHAPTER IS NOT A SONG FIC. DUE TO WRITER'S BLOCK, THE AUTHOR DOESN'T HAVE A SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER! (kidding!) THE SONGS WILL RESUME NEXT CHAPTER.

AND YEAH…THERE WILL BE A SMALL ANGELIC LAYER CROSSOVER…NOTHING RELEVANT. AND YEAH, I DON'T OWN IT AS WELL.

PPS (or something): I'M NOT MYSELF FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CHAPTER TURNED OUT. IF IT DIDN'T SATISFY YOU, GOMEN NASAI MINNA-SAN! I'LL TRY HARDER NEXT TIME.

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Kirihara found a strange SMS the next morning.

new number: I'll meet up with you and Yuuta at Shoujou-houin General Hospital by 9

Kirihara's narrowed. 'Now who is this? There's no one aside from Ryoma, Yuuta and I—'he's mouth was left hanging when realization dawned on him.

'Baka Echizen, making me worry for the entire week!' he thought as he haphazardly put on his clothes.

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"Are you sure it's safe to allow him to go outside?" Rinko asked her husband as they watched Nanako's car disappeared.

"Don't worry." Nanjiroh smiled at her. "Akaya-kun and Yuuta-kun will take very good care of him.

"Hmp!" Rinko elbowed him.

"Ouch!!! What was that for?" he called after his wife who was getting inside their house.

"That is for negligence of your son's welfare."

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Yuuta was not surprised when he met up with Kirihara in the hospital's lobby.

"He's really unpredictable." Yuuta mumbled as they rushed into the cancer ward.

"Just so like Echizen…" Kirihara added. They came to the nurse's station. "Is Ryoma Echizen inside?"

"Oh not anymore." The nurse replied. "He left 10 minutes ago."

Yuuta groaned inwardly. "Do you know where he went?"

The nurse's face lightened up. "Oh yeah. I left when PT gym paged him. If I'm not mistaken, he's up there as of this moment."

"PT gym…what floor is that?" Kirihara asked.

"It's in the west wing, ground floor."

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"Give me two more minutes of ball catching, Misaki…" golden orbs stared at the tired girl by the ABP (automated ball puncher). "After this, we're done for the day."

"Hai, Ryo-nii-sempai."

"ECHIZEN!!!!!!"

Ryoma turned around only to see his friends slumped by the door. "Did you run all the way from home just to get here?" he scoffed. "Wow, I feel so loved."

Kirihara glared at him and hit his head when the freshman was of an arm's reach. "Baka! Is that how you greet your senpai-tachi who has been worried about you for the entire week?!"

Yuuta mimicked what he did on the poor freshman. "Yeah…that's so insensitive of you."

"Itai…" Ryoma rubbed the sore part of his head.

"Uhh…sumimasen…" the girl whispered which got the attention of the boys. "Please don't hurt Ryo-nii-sempai."

Kirihara and Yuuta were shocked. They stared at Ryoma then to the girl.

"Oh how rude of me…" Ryoma slapped his forehead. "This is Misaki Suzuhara, Dr. I-chan's step daughter." The girl smiled at them. "I'm helping in her rehabilitation so don't think otherwise."

"Yoroshiku!"

"Yoroshiku!"

"Ano Ryo-nii-senpai, I'll be finishing up with the ABP." With this, the girl left them.

"Rehabilitation? Why?" Kirihara asked Ryoma.

"Remember the deal I stroke up with Dr. I-chan to get through with your Buchou's surgery?" Ryoma stared at them. "This is it."

"Why? What happened to her?" Yuuta frowned as he watched the girl struggle to catch the balls. 'She seems a bit slow…'

"She's predisposed to have multiple sclerosis like her mother." Ryoma frowned. "And since we still do not have any cure for the disease yet, we're doing preventive and palliative measures to help her to at least overcome the symptoms."

Kirihara sympathized with Yuuta. "But she doesn't seem sick when we saw her in RJ last Tuesday."

"Tuesday?" Ryoma look up to them questioningly.

Their faces sobered up when the memories of the past week dawned on them. "Oh yeah…Dr. I-chan's family went to RJ with us unfortunately being there."

"And Dr. I-chan already told everyone about your participation to help Yukimura-san's surgery." Yuuta finished for his friend.

"Oh crap…" Ryoma spat.

"Ne, Ryoma…"

"What is it?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the girl has slow reflexes…" Kirihara pointed out when Misaki struggled with her lateral steps.

"Wrong…"

"Then what is it?" Yuuta asked.

"She doesn't have muscle movement reflexes in her limbs at all."

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They went to Ryoma's house after the session. Ryoma did this to show off his new and improved skills and to keep his senpais away from Misaki.

'Their obvious pity to the girl could damage the sanctity of the whole program.' Ryoma mused as they rested after the intense two-against-one game. And who else won? Of course it's Ryoma.

"I...never imagined…you'd improve that fast…" Yuuta panted as they slumped against the big sakura tree.

"Now…you're unbeatable…what kind of…a vacation…did you have?" Kirihara glared at him as he took in gulps of air.

Ryoma frowned. "I'm feeling glum today." He collapsed on the bench.

"Hey, tell us!" Yuuta shook him.

"Tell you what?" Ryoma asked.

"Tell us how you became this fast, this strong…" Kirihara grimaced. "…this good."

Ryoma studied the fierce look on his senpais' faces. Of course they're friends but this doesn't exclude the fact that they are still rivals.

"I'll tell you…" Ryoma pouted. "…in one condition."

"What is it?"

"My aunts said that I need indulgence to get over my depression…" Kirihara saw a flash of mischief in his eyes. "…I want triple Mt. Fuji sundae fudge right now."

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Monday: most of the tennis players are already in their meeting place which is Hyotei Gakuen's parking lot. The coaches were in an immediate meeting so most of the kids are taking their time to wander around and probably enjoy their past time: gossiping.

"Oh that is just too bad." Kajimoto muttered when he heard the news of the Echizen-Ohtori break-up.

"Whatever could've happened?" Saeki added.

"Guys, I don't think it's nice to talk about other people's demise." Oishi said, who was not that far from the group.

"Maybe Echizen-kun cheated on Ohtori-kun or vise versa." Wakato muttered out loud just to rile up people, coz that's who he is. "Yeah…that could be it!!! How intriguing!" Tezuka, unable to control his emotions, came towards them with a deadly glint in his eyes.

"Would you just shut up?!" Tezuka gritted his teeth, not even caring if Fuji is just standing nearby.

"Mitsu, what's going on here?" Fuji asked worriedly.

Atobe who was standing not far away from the group joined as well. "Yeah Tezuka-kun…tell us what's going on." He sneered at the Seigaku's captain.

"It's too early to start up a fight Tezuka." Yukimura told him. "As you have said, this is not an appropriate behavior for a captain."

Tezuka's hands are shaking. 'This is all Ohtori's fault!' he caught glance of the boy and all went red. "Just stop talking about Ryoma!"

"What's going on here?" Sanada joined the crowd and soon the rest of the players gathered around them.

Tezuka was at a loss. Not only that he has lost all his reserve but no one is also there to cover up for him. The only this he could think of right now is…

"This is your entire fault Ohtori." The bespectacled captain turned to the tall Hyotei sophomore.

"And why is that Tezuka?" Shishido came to Ohtori's rescue, seeing that the sophomore was still shocked at the captain's outburst.

"Mitsu, could you please tell me what is going on?!" they could almost swear that they heard Fuji groan. The tensai's eyes are wide open now and it's creeping everyone one.

Silence reined for a few seconds when…

"I guess it is partly Ohtori-kun's fault." They turned to see who spoke and realized it was Hiyoshi.

Ohtori was aghast. "My fault? I don't remember hurting him in any possible way, Hiyoshi." The good-natured Ohtori was gone. "What in heaven's name made you say that?!"

Everyone's attention was centered on the alleged future Hyotei captain. A mixture of guilt and sadness was seen in his eyes.

"It happened during the Hyotei party." Hiyoshi started. "Even though he made me swear to never tell anyone, I just couldn't stay silent anymore. To tell you honestly, it is not entirely his fault. Other people can be counted in for what happened."

"Can you spit it out already?!" Tezuka cried.

Atobe's eyes narrowed as he stared down the sophomore. 'So it seems like Hiyoshi found out about the plan…hmmm….what to do?'

Ohtori stared at the boy anxiously. 'What could I've done?! I don't know! I don't remember anything!'

"Go on and be done with it." Sanada glared at the boy, his migraine is starting to build up due to the situation.

"Echizen saw what happened in the balcony."

"WHAT?!" Ohtori almost fainted. 'Oh god…oh god…how could I've ever forget?!'

Atobe chose the time to gently drift away from the crowd. The revelation will have a very, very bad outcome for him.

"What are you talking about?" Tezuka gazed menacingly at Ohtori.

Shishido was at a loss. 'I have to protect him. I need to protect him but I know, by doing something will aggravate the situation I got us in.' he scanned the crowd for Atobe but he was nowhere to be found. 'Damn you Atobe! This is not part of the plan!'

"That night, I know something was off starting from Atobe-buchou's strange behavior, to the call Echizen received and to your disappearance." Hiyoshi turned to face Ohtori. "I saw Shishido-senpai pulled you out of the ballroom so I followed you. I got hold of Echizen and I lead him to the balcony. He came just in time when Shishido-senpai confessed to you and kissed you."

His revelation caused mayhem among the group of kids.

"But I pushed him away after two seconds or so!!!" Ohtori cried, wanting to get his point across the enraged tennis players.

"But those few seconds decided the fate of your relationship." Hiyoshi told him.

"But I was in shock—"Ohtori replied but was cut off when a fist landed directly on his jaw, making him stagger backwards. Before he could even recover Tezuka already grabbed his shirt.

"TEZUKA!!!"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO HURT HIM!!!" Tezuka yelled as he shook the sophomore a bit. "YOU PROMISED NOT TO HURT HIM!!!" he was about to land another punch on the boy but Ohtori was able to evade and land a punch of his own on Tezuka's gut.

"How dare you talk to me like that after what you've done to him?!" Ohtori cried, murder shining in his eyes. This made everybody freeze on the spot, even Fuji who was restraining the bespectacled boy. "At least I can say that it wasn't my intention to cheat on him like what you did. For your information, I rejected Shishido-san's confession after the kiss. Unlike you…"

"Unlike you? What is he talking about Kunimitsu?" Fuji turned to his boyfriend, looking confused and frustrated.

Ohtori wipe away the blood the trickled down his lips. "Oh you don't know yet Fuji-san?" he glared at Tezuka. 'I don't care if everyone finds out. How dare you compare me to yourself!?' "You didn't know that before you and Tezuka got together he was with Ryoma?"

"What?!" it wasn't only Fuji who cried out. The tensai glanced at his boyfriend and felt his heart fell unto his gut when he saw the guilt on Tezuka's eyes.

"They broke up when Ryoma saw you and Tezuka making out in the clubroom the day Momoshiro rejoined your club." He felt a pang to guilt and pity when he saw the hurt and the betrayal took its toll on Fuji. He then turned to Tezuka who was equally perturbed about his revelation. "It was you who broke him so bad so you do not have any right to compare what happened to me and Ryoma to what you have done."

Tezuka was speechless. He looked at Fuji and felt like he was slapped ten times upon seeing the betrayed look on his boyfriend's eyes. He tried to reach out to him but the tensai jerked his hand away. He then turned back his attention to the Hyotei sophomore.

"Fine…I do not have an excuse for what had happened between us but let me tell you that you are nothing more than a copy…an imagery of Ryoma's true love." Tezuka could almost taste the bile in his words. "It is Carlos who owns him from the start. Do you really think that he loved you for who you really are? You are nothing but an epitome of the person whom he promised to love for the rest of his life!!"

The statement rocked not only Ohtori's world but also the rest of the tennis players.

"Carlos? You mean O'chibi's missing best friend?" Eiji dared to ask.

"You and I are just the same Ohtori." Tezuka wiped away one rebellious tear that trickled down his cheek. "We dared to love someone whom will never be completely ours." He then turned Yukimura. "Not even you. No one can completely own him."

Shishido hit rock bottom upon hearing Tezuka's last statement. _"We dared to love someone whom will never be completely ours."_ He bit his lip as he watched the tears well up in Ohtori's beautiful hazel eyes. 'How could I've been so stupid?! If I did love him, I should've let him go! What have I done?'

Atobe chose that moment to reappear. "Hey plebeians, you better stop that. The meeting is done and the coaches are on their way." With this, the kids started to disperse.

"No." Ohtori muttered.

Tezuka's head snapped up. "What did you say?"

"I said no. we're not the same." Determination flashed in his eyes. "I'm not you. My love for him is not as shallow as yours. Who cares if someone had him before I did? That someone is gone now. It's Carlos's fault that he let go of Ryoma. Unlike you, I have great faith in my love for him." and with this he walked away. The kids gaped at him as he walked on, admiring him for what he has done.

His last statement made Atobe feel like crap of course. Not only that his plan failed but Ohtori's last words felt like daggers in his heart.

"What's going on here?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked as soon as they reached the buses.

"Nothing." The kids replied.

"Hey look!!! Echizen just arrived with Kirihara and Yuuta Fuji!!!!" Momo cried and pretty soon the trio emerged.

"Echizen!!!!" a lot of people tried to get to him immediately but it was Ryuzaki-sensei who got to the poor kid first.

"Are you alright now?" concern oozed out of every word she said.

"Am fine abuella." Ryoma replied, getting annoyed. "No reason to fuss on me now."

Kirihara and Yuuta just shook their head and took Ryoma's luggage to store it away. As they tore away from the crowd, they saw Tezuka, Fuji and Ohtori still rooted on the spot.

"You better stay away from him for now." Kirihara eyed them menacingly.

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No matter how Ohtori wanted to be with Ryoma, he couldn't do anything since Yuuta and Kirihara are guarding over him like hawks. 'You don't know how much I want to grab you and keep you close to me…to never let you go once I've had my arms around you.'

"Nya O'chibi what happened to all the baby fat?!?!?!" Eiji wailed as he pinched Ryoma's cheeks.

"Itai!!!" Ryoma cried out.

"Kikumaru-senpai, please stop that." Yuuta told the acrobat off.

Ryoma shook his head and caught glance of Ohtori who was seated beside Yukimura. His eyes narrowed when he saw the bruise that's forming on his ex-boyfriend's jaw. 'Now what could have happened? Did he get into a fight?' his eyes scanned the bus and saw Fuji and Tezuka apart for the first time. The tensai was seated by the window beside Kawamura while Tezuka was seated up front with the coaches. He could see the tensai's shoulders shook as if he's crying. 'I don't understand what's going on.'

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"Surely Echizen looked like he lost a lot of weight." Yanagi studied the freshman. "And he looks tired." He muttered to Sanada.

"Maybe it's post-break up depression." Sanada replied. "It looks like he took the break up badly."

"I really don't think buchou should join this mess." Yagyuu muttered. "There's too much controversy surrounding that boy." He gestured to Ryoma.

"But I think that is the main reason why buchou is attracted to him." Jackal said.

"But it's wrong!" Marui whispered in outrage. "Echizen's for Ohtori and vice versa."

"If what Tezuka had said earlier is true, then that is not the case Marui." Niou told him.

Sanada just shook his head. 'Echizen Ryoma…why do you have to be so mysterious?'

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Yukimura glanced at the boy beside him. He chose to sit with his rival because his consciousness was slapped into full wakefulness when he proved just how much Ohtori loves Ryoma.

"I'm impressed by what you said earlier." Yukimura muttered.

Ohtori broke away form his trance as he blinked a coupled of times, trying to understand the Rikkai buchou.

"You're feelings for him are profound…" Yukimura smiled at him. "…but the situation doesn't merit you advantage for that." This made the boy frown. "I like Echizen and I'm willing and interested in exploring the possibilities of us being together…"

"Ano…Yukimura-san…"

"…but rest assured that I won't resolve to dirty tricks like what Atobe did. I have no intention of backing out either, Ohtori-kun." Yukimura's face sobered up. "All is fair in love and in war."

It took a couple of seconds before Ohtori could react. "I perfectly know that Yukimura-san but please be warned…" determination flashed in his eyes. "I'm not giving him up so easily."

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Atobe was caught in a world of his own. He kept on replaying Ohtori's words in his head. 'Hmmm…maybe I overdid it a little.' He mused as he glanced at Ryoma. 'I don't understand what I'm feeling for you anymore. You made me cause so much trouble. '

'I think it's time that I let go of these feelings that I have for you, Choutarou. In my hopes to love you and make you happy, I ended up hurting you in the end.' Shishido wiped away the solitary tear that escaped his eyes. 'I think now's the time to right the wrong.'

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"Why such gloomy faces, young ones?" Banji turned to the tennis players. " hmmm…it seems like you've been experiencing tough times….hmmmm" he scanned their melancholic faces then smiled when he saw Ryoma. "Ne, Echizen-kun…"

Ryoma looked up only to see Banji's smiling face. "Nandayo Banji-sensei?"

"Do you know the nine hardest times of one's life?"

Everybody looked intently at the freshman. "Yes I do."

"Can you share it to everyone?"

"Fine." Ryoma sighed. "One is, being questioned when you yourself don't understand."

"Correct." Banji smiled. "Listen carefully boys. Next?"

"Pretending to be innocent of what you know about."

"Hey…yeah. That one is true." They heard Momo commented.

"Next?"

"Trying to forget something you know you never will." Ryoma bit his lips as an image of Carlos flashed in his mind.

"Next?"

"Admitting you were wrong after you've been so insisted that you were right."

Shishido and Atobe bit their lip in guilt as the words suck in.

"Ok…next?"

"Debating with yourself." Ryoma felt another tug in his heart. 'Guilty.'

"Yeah…that one is hard to do especially when you're deciding to forgo an amazing prank or not." Niou added, making some of the students chuckle.

"Next?"

"Trying to understand when you just can't."

Ohtori nodded involuntarily.

"Good…then?"

Ryoma suck in some air. "Realizing that you have been tricked after you've given your whole trust." With this, more tears spilled form Fuji's eyes as he cried silently. Tezuka looked at his soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, guilt almost eating him up.

"And last but not the least…?" Banji smiled at him.

"Ano…' Ryoma trailed off as he caught Ohtori's eyes. "…parting and letting go of someone you have loved all your life."

Silence filled the bus.

"And your point old man?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked upon seeing the depressed faces of the kids.

"The point is, despite those harsh times, you must go back to the basics…enjoy the simple things in life until you're strong enough to face the tough world." Banji smiled at them. "First, be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference. Next, when playing games with children, let them win."

Ryuzaki-smiled. "When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go." She stood up and stood beside the Yamabuki coach. "Then wave at children on a school bus."

"Keep a notepad and pencil on you bedside table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 am." Hanamura-sensei added. "And look at people in the eye."

"Then compliment the mean when you're a guest in someone's house." Banji settled his gaze on O'chibi. "And most of all, believe that life is fair even if it's hard. You're kids after all. You shouldn't go and start making things complicated for yourselves. That's what adults do." with this, he sat back down.

Ryoma smiled sadly. 'yeah right…as if I had the power to go back in time and make things less complicated than it is…' he stole one last glance on Ohtori before settling between his friend. 'I love you Chou-chou. That's the only simple thing left in me.'

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A/N: finally...! I had a lot of trouble doing this chapter. I can't even decide if this is going to be a song fic or not….whew!!!! Anyway…more angst and confrontations in the next chapters….

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND MAKE ME HAPPY!!!!!!!

And hell yah, Atobe's feeling guilty right now.


	26. behind these hazel eyes

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Behind these hazel eyes". Kelly Clarkson does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Day four of the camp and everything was doing fine…well except for the fact that Ryoma has once again amazed them with his newfound strength. But what made their jaws dropped was when Ryoma played in a doubles game with Kirihara and they were up against the best combination so far…the Yukimura-Ohtori pair. The two indeed showed everyone how good they are. Who would've known they had such perfect combination?! That, however, changed when Ryoma decided to give them the shock of their lives.

Flashback

"_Time out, Echizen-Kirihara pair!"_

_Ryoma smirked upon sensing the brash aura surrounding their opponents. "Hey, Akaya-senpai…" _

"_What?" Kirihara chugged down the contents of water container. _

"_I found a way to stop Choutarou's Scud serve. Just make sure you'd be fast enough to counter. Your buchou is one formidable opponent." Ryoma sneaked a glance at his ex-boyfriend who was freshening up. _

"_Oh sure…tell me what's on your mind." Kirihara smiled at his kohai. _

_On the other side of the court…_

"_Aka-chan and Echizen..." Yukimura muttered. "…a very unusual pair, ne Ohtori-kun?"_

"_I know, Yukimura-san." Ohtori nodded, studying his boyfriend's stature. (A/N: he's still in denial.) "But we shouldn't underestimate them. Even if we have the upper hand by getting four games already, I think Ryoma is planning something." _

"_How true…" Yukimura trailed off when they noticed the Ryoma had shed off his jacket and his sweat pants, revealing a very sexy, very muscular Echizen. _

"_Now we know where all the baby fats went…" Sengoku muttered while eyeing the freshman. _

" _how on earth did he do that?!" the spectators cried in amazement as they studied every sculpted part of the boy starting from his calves, up to his lower thighs and to his arms. _

_Tezuka's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the idea of people gawking at the freshman. 'Although I couldn't deny his oozing sex appeal.'_

_Yukimura and Ohtori sweat-dropped and the boys' mouth went very dry at the sight of the now-stripping freshman. _

"_Echizen, what the hell are you doing?" Ryuzaki-sensei cried, trying to do damage control. If she didn't, the whole court might probably get flooded with saliva. 'I swear I saw Atobe drooling.'_

"_Nothing, just shedding some extra weight." Ryoma smiled at her playfully as he pulled down his socks and revealed a leg weight. He took it off and threw it on the ground. It made a loud clank which perturbed the rest of the boys. _

"_J-just how heavy is that thing?" Kaidou muttered then he heard Kirihara counting as Ryoma unveiled more weights in his arms. _

"_4+4+5…" _

_Ryoma reached under his shirt, exposing his washboard abs as he tried to reach for the vest's buckle. _

_Ohtori tried to look away from him but it was just too hard. 'One more inch and I'll wrestle him to the ground. Shit! Why does he have to be such a tease?!' _

_Ryoma found the buckle and undid it. He then pulled the vest off and threw it at the growing pile of weights on the bench. _

"…_+12…" then last but not the least, off came the sand belt."…+5. Yep, all 30 kgs all accounted for." Kirihara announced. _

"_NANI?!?!?!?!" _

"_30 kilos?!?!?!?!"_

"_No way!!!!!!" _

"_Let's go!" Ryoma started on with his Split-step and in a blink of an eye, he was on the middle of the court. "Let's blow with popsicle joint." _

End of flashback

They almost won though…despite Ryoma's improved speed and power which broke Ohtori's Scud Serve and Kirihara's superb counters; they still can't match Yukimura's skill and experience. But needless to say, Ryoma had his point across…he may have a heart injury but it'll be the end of the world before they could actually look down on his tennis skills…and given that he's playing doubles.

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Ohtori had been trying to get a chance to talk with Ryoma however Kirihara and Yuuta wouldn't let the freshman out of their sight even for just a few seconds. He got the chance to corner Ryoma that afternoon when he followed the boy through the forest.

"Ryoma…"

"Choutarou…"

Ryoma resolved that he will not look into Ohtori's eyes for he knew that with just one look, all his guards will instantly melt down in a pile of goo.

"Look at me." Ohtori pleaded.

"No." Ryoma stubbornly replied.

"Why not?!" Ohtori cried. 'Why of all times to be stubborn you chose now?'

"Because I don't want to!" Ryoma replied. "…for looking into your eyes will make me do things that will hurt the two of us in the end.

Ohtori sighed. He took a step closer to the boy and yet the freshman back away. "Don't you get it Ryoma? I love you. I have and will always love you!"

"But what about Shishido?" Ryoma finally looked at him in the eye, hurt shining in those golden orbs. "Don't you even realize that you're just into an ephemeral attraction to me?"

"You're wrong!" Ohtori cried as he made a grab for the young boy and trapped him in his arms. 'Oh god it's been so long since I held you like this.' Tears spilled from his eyes. "You're wrong. It is you, from the very beginning, who I love."

Ryoma was crying as well. He didn't want to leave his warm embrace, the warmth that he has been longing for a long time. 'But no…I can't do this anymore…' he struggled hard to break free from Ohtori's tight embrace. "No! Can't you see? I'm nothing but a broken toy! I amount to nothing!"

"Ryoma?!" Ohtori cried in frustration. "How can you say that?! How can you doubt my love for you?!"

Ryoma felt like he's been slapped a dozen times. He wipes his tears away and stubbornly looked away from the tall boy. "I do not have any doubts about your feelings for me, Choutarou…"

"Then why are you pushing me away?" Ohtori sobbed. His chestnut brown eyes registered pain and betrayal. "Why won't you give us another chance?!"

"Because I'm having doubts about mine!" Ryoma snapped at him. The betrayed expression on his ex-boyfriend's face made him want to gather up the distraught boy in his arms and take back everything that he said. "You don't know how hard this is for me. If you only knew what happened, you'll understand. I don't know but something's holding me back from promising forever to you and I know you deserve more than that. You're such an amazing person that you deserve the best in the world, not someone like me who's been torn apart and is only trying to get by everyday."

"Then tell what is it that's holding you back! Is it Carlos?!"

Ryoma staggered backwards when he heard the name from Ohtori's lips. "H-how did you know? Who told you about him?!"

"Tell me!! Is it him who's keeping you from loving me?!"

More tears spilled from those big golden orbs. "I can't!! I want to but I just don't have the strength to say it!!! And I know that if I did, it'll just scare you away!!! It was hell for me Choutarou and I think it is best that you stay away from it or you'll burn along with the carcass of my shattered life!!!!!!" and with this the boy ran as fast as he could, away form the person whom he cherished so much.

Ohtori just fell on his knees and sobbed his heart out. "Why? Oh god why is this happening to us?! Why?!"

"Ohtori-kun?"

The Hyotei sophomore looked up, only to see Fuji Syusuke's face looming over him.

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Ryoma's feet finally gave in as he collapsed on the ground, panting hard and sobbing his heart out.

"No one will understand…t-they will never understand…" he sobbed as he curled into a ball. "Choutarou w-wouldn't understand if he…if he finds out that I killed him…" he sobbed harder as he succumbed to the shadows of his past, his own hell on earth. "…I was the one who killed him… I k-killed him…it was me…oh God Carlos if it wasn't for my stupidity…y-you would be alive…."

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Fuji took Ohtori back to the camp and took out a few bottles of sake. He said the he and Niou snuck the beverages in to celebrate the end of their camp.

"…but since everything took a turn for the worse and the coaches are not here for the night, I think these babies deserve to be put into good use." Fuji smiled sadly at the sophomore.

"B-but Fuji-senpai…I-I don't drink—"

"Well now is the best time to learn." Fuji told him as he poured him a glass. "Go on, drink up!" he raised his own glass. "Here's for the death of your hearts…" and with this, he emptied the glass.

Ohtori did the same thing and grimaced as the liquid burned his throat.

"Not bad huh?" Fuji muttered, pouring himself another glass.

"Fuji-senpai…" Ohtori stared intently at his glass which is being refilled as he spoke. "…did you see what happened earlier?"

Fuji grew still. He then gave Ohtori back his glass. "Yeah, I did." he took another sip and eyed the sophomore through the rim of his glass. "It was quite devastating if you ask me. How are you feeling?"

Ohtori sighed. "I'm mad as hell…"

"At Ryoma?"

"No…at Carlos and his ultimate and eternal dominion over Ryoma." Ohtori replied. "Ne Fuji-senpai, how did you cope up with your break-up with Tezuka-san?" chestnut brown eyes met the icy blue once of the tensai. "Gomen ne—"

"It's ok. And I'm not coping. I'm just merely cruising through the days in denial." Fuji cleared his throat. " If it wasn't for you though, I'd still be living a lie…I'm mad…I'm furious as hell at Kunimitsu for lying to me and betraying me…at myself for being stupid and insensitive and at Ryoma for doing nothing…"

"You're mad at him?"

"Yes…" Fuji frowned. "I'd feel so much better if he came to me and mauled me with the same intensity as his rage for that Kristina-girl. You know, for stealing Tezuka away form him. Now I'm hounded by guilt of causing him pain."

"I was there…" Ohtori downed the contents of his glass.

"Huh?"

"I was there the whole time, watching him suffer then heal himself from the pain…" Ohtori sighed. "Now I wish I could do the same to him once more…"

Fuji smiled at him. "You still love him? Despite what he said about having doubts about his feelings for you?"

Ohtori took the bottle and pour himself a glass. "Yes. A bit moronic isn't it?" he scoffed when Fuji snorted at his predicament. "I have a feeling that he said that not because he still loves Carlos. There is something else that's bothering him, something that soon I'll uncover. How about you? Do you still love Tezuka-san after what he has done to you?"

Fuji remained quite for a few minutes, watching the clear liquid rise in his glass as Ohtori refilled it for him. "Yeah…" he sighed. " I guess that makes us two morons…"

Ohtori smiled and raised his glass. "Cheers for our stupidity!"

Fuji chuckled. "Yeah…and may it prevail amidst the threat of bitterness and betrayal!!"

"Cheers!"

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It took some time for the freshman to realize what had transpired earlier. Now, upon knowing what he has done and had finished his onslaught against a poor young tree with his head, Ryoma now lay on the ground, exhausted from the ordeal. He's having an internal battle of his own.

'Baka Ryoma!!! You're such a liar!!! You didn't have to say those things just to keep him away from you!!!!'

'It's a way to keep him at a safe distance. It's better this way—'

'But you did not mean any of it! You still love him and will always love him! And what's worse, you're using Carlos' name to escape form reality! Shame on you—'

'I'm not using him!!!! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!!!!!!'

"Echizen?"

Ryoma stared at the person trough his half-lidded eyes. "Wadyawant?"

Yukimura frowned at the sorry sight in front of him. There was blood flowing down his face from a cut on his forehead. He sat beside the distressed boy and took out a hanky.

"N-no touch—"Ryoma protested when Yukimura attempted to place his head on his lap but Yukimura did anyway for Ryoma's too tired to fight him off.

"Stop squirming so I can check that wound of yours." Yukimura scolded him when the boy tried to swat his hand away. When the boy finally gave up, he gently pressed the cloth on the wound, making the freshman wince in pain. "What has gotten into you? You're a mess!" he muttered as he mopped the wound clean.

"Yeah…that was fun…" Ryoma muttered. "Do you know why I so love to hit my head with a hammer?"

Yukimura thought the boy was hallucinating due to a concussion. "O…k…tell me why." Yukimura sighed. 'I better indulge him now. God he's so cute!'

"Because it feels so good when I stop…" Ryoma close his eyes and smiled. "I mean literally."

Yukimura couldn't help but chuckle at his statement. "You're an amusing person, Echizen."

"Ne…am I the unluckiest and most pathetic person in the world?"

Yukimura blinked back in surprise. "Why say such a thing, Echizen?"

"Because the gods in heaven love to torture me." even with his eyes closed and despite the smile on his lips, Yukimura could feel the pain in every word that is coming out of his mouth. "I think they made an amusement out of 'moi."

"That's it!" Yukimura sighed. "I'm taking you to the clinic."

"No, no!" Ryoma protested, holding on to the handsome boy. "I'm being honest."

Yukimura shook his head. 'He's a tortured soul. He fooled everyone into thinking that he's strong and confident but deep inside he's nothing but a lost child.' He gently brushed off his stubborn hair off his forehead. "Echizen…you're one deluded kid."

Ryoma scoffed. "Right on!"

"If you want, you can talk to me about Tezuka or Carlos or even…" Yukimura took a deep breath. "…even Ohtori"

Upon hearing the last name, Ryoma's eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly, nearly swiping Yukimura's pretty nose off in the process. The older boy was taken aback at the alarmed look on the freshman's face.

"G-gomen nasai…" Ryoma got up to his feet. "…I need have some time alone." And with this he sped away from the handsome boy.

Yukimura sighed and got up. He stared sadly at Ryoma's retreating back. "When will you start freeing those pent up emotions and start living in the present and for the future, Ryoma Echizen?" he stared to walk towards the camp site. "When will you stop pushing people out of your life?"

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The rest of the players found Ohtori and Fuji giggling like drunken idiots, laughing and crying at the same time. Needless to say, the rest were tempted to join their fun and soon, after finishing off with four bottles of sake, only a couple third years were able to hold up a decent state. The sophomores were knocked out as early as bottle no. 2.Yukimura soon joined them, who only did it because the drunken Niou and Yanagi will not let him off the hook.

"You know…" Atobe slurred. "I gotta say…you're impetuous, insatiable and drop-dead sexy freshman messed up our lives…real good." He placed an arm on Tezuka's shoulders, who in turn just shrugged it away. "See? Not only the he messed up with your feelings Tezuka-kun, b-but you and Fuji broke up because of him."

"Shut up, you ridiculously vain monkey!" Ohtori cried, his consciousness almost slipping as he nursed his tenth glass. " This is all your fault!" he turned to look at Fuji who was already half-asleep after downing two bottles ahead of everyone. "and Carlos's as well!"

"Now, now we don't need a cat-fight here." Tachibana said.

"But honestly…" Mizuki strutted in front of Tezuka. "You do agree that he's one brash kid you messed up your life right?"

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Golden orbs blinked back the hurt as he listened to the drunken conversation. He was curious as hell about his senpai's behavior under the influence of alcohol but he didn't realize it would be like this.

He hid himself under the window, not wanting them to know he's just nearby, listening and taking every word they say against him to heart.

"Come on Tezuka-kun!" Wakato whined. "This is the time to air your grievances!"

Ryoma closed his eyes as the seniors cheered on. He bit his lip in anticipation as he waited for Tezuka's reply.

"Fine…" Tezuka muttered, a faint blush tainted his cheeks. "R-y-o-m-a is one of the most difficult persons I've ever met." The Seigaku captain struggled to keep his balance. "He's a self-centered bastard…well cocky is more suitable…if I didn't break him in the first place he'd be ten times worse than before."

Yukimura shook his head. 'I cannot believe this is happening. Poor Ryoma…'

Atobe staggered to stand next to him. "Hell yeah!" he raised his hands as some of the boy laughed. "Who died and made him King of the World?! As far as I know, it was I before he came into my life and hic g-gave me fuckin' wet dreams every night!" he swaggered a bit to the side. "And about this Carlos-guy…I mean it is bad enough that he got to have Ryoma first but he also won't let go of Ryoma." he almost spilled his drink over the sleeping Momo when he tried to step over the sophomore. "And he's not even here!! Fucking bastard!"

Ohtori was already half-asleep to even process what was going on, not knowing the current blows being sent to his koibito's being.

"Tezuka…I think you've had enough." Oishi muttered.

"Nah! Chill out a bit Oishi." Sengoku told him off. "Give these two the chance to let it all out."

"But—"

"Shhh!!!"

"But you better be thankful for he's the one who'll give Seigaku glory." Kajimoto told them.

When Tezuka was able to process what he said, he couldn't help but snort. "Right on, Kajimoto-kun. I'll ignore his trash of an attitude if it'll help Seigaku to stay on top." Tezuka downed the rest of his sake. "That's why I made him the next pillar of Seigaku. He'll be a great hic tool to win Nationals." Tezuka slumped back on the chair. "He and Carlos can go to hell for all I care…"

"Bravo Tezuka-kun!!!!!" the intoxicated boys cheered.

"Thank you…thank you!!!"

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Ryoma did not realize the tears already flowing down his cheeks. His whole body felt numb. He didn't even notice that his feet are moving in its own accord. 'Take me away….take me far away from here…please…'

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"I've had enough of this!" Yukimura cried. Everyone who's still conscious enough to comprehend turned to listen to him.

"What the hell are you talking about Yukimura?" Atobe groaned.

"All of you are nothing but pigs for treating Echizen like this!" anger flashed in his eyes that even Jirou woke up in a start as chills ran up his spine.

"Yukimura…" Sanada muttered.

"You do not have the right to judge the boy for you know nothing of what he's been through!" the Rikkai captain then started snatching the glasses and bottles from the other boys. "Even though you have an excuse for being drunk it doesn't mean that you can lash out on him when he's not here to defend himself."

"You're such a party-pooper Yuki—"Tezuka muttered but was shocked when Yukimura grabbed his shirt and shook him.

"How can you say that?!" Yukimura whispered in outrage. "You, of all people?! You are his captain, one of the people whom he would depend his life on and you talk about him in this manner?!" he shoved the boy down, his whole body shaking in anger. " you all are idiots for not noticing much pain Ryoma is in. did you take a second glance at him before you say those things about him?" and scanned the terrified faces of the other players. "And Carlos…you talk about him like he's a demon or something but do you know the guy enough to conclude as such?!" Yukimura took a deep breath when…

"He stole Choutarou away from me…" Shishido spoke up. This earned a collective groan from the rest.

"True enough if Ohtori was your boyfriend but he isn't." Yukimura retorted. "The truth is, you're the one who stole Ohtori away from him. But did he lash out his anger on you? No. He did his best to own his pain and misery. He never bothered anyone after he and Ohtori-kun broke up right?" Yukimura gave him a death glared. "You should be ashamed of yourself, calling yourself a cool and mature person." With this, he turned on his heels but before he completely stormed out of the room, he paused by the door and said…

"I guess I have to rethink my perceptions about you guys…" he scoffed. "…and here I thought you're worthy of my respect, well I was wrong. And Tezuka…" he turned his gaze to the bespectacled captain. "…I'm relieved that Ryoma found it best to break up with you. He's better off without someone like you."

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Ryoma was still in a daze when he sat, perched on a low branch of a lush mango tree, it's large canopy of leaves that hung low to the ground hid the boy from the rest of the world. With a lighted cigarette on his hand, smoke lingering to caress his body and music to his ears, he could only care less about the rest of the world whom he concluded guilty of hating him.

_Seems like just yesterday_

_You were a part of me_

_I used to stand so tall_

_I used to be so strong_

He adjusted his jacket as he waited for sleep to take over. He shivered as the cold gentle night breeze caressed him. 'I never imagine how it is to be completely alone in the world before. I only dared to imagine, but God's giving me a whole lot more than what I've asked for.'

_Your arms around me tight_

_Everything, it felt so right_

_Unbreakable, like nothin' could go wrong_

_Now I can't breathe_

_No, I can't sleep_

_I'm barely hanging on_

The tears have all dried up and he can't cry no more. And besides, he doesn't care what the hell happens to him after this. 'I should've died a week ago but no…the gods have bigger plans for me. The perfect way to torture a man is to do it little by little, savoring every bit of pain inflicted, every second of scream elicited.'

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

"I'm not gonna cry anymore…not for them…they don't deserve it." Ryoma spat. Soon he felt a stab of pain in his chest. "Ohh yeah…bring on the pain. Like I so need it right now…" he shivered involuntarily as the chills went up his spine. "I'm done for…I've had enough."

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_I told you everything_

_Opened up and let you in_

_You made me feel alright_

_For once in my life_

"You know…what he said was true." Sanada muttered after a few minutes of silence since Yukimura walked out of the room. "Echizen never showed anyone that he's in pain. He kept it all in and we didn't do anything to help him."

"Man, I feel like a total idiot." Niou mumbled as he buried his face in his hands.

"Bummer." Oshitari sighed. "Let's go to bed…"

Tezuka still remained unmoved as the other boys started to leave the room. He's been like that since Yukimura lashed out on him. Never in his life had he felt so stupid. 'I'm such an idiot…'

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_Now all that's left of me_

_Is what I pretend to be_

_So together, but so broken up inside_

_'Cause I can't breathe_

_No, I can't sleep_

_I'm barely hangin' on_

Ryoma placed a tablet under his tongue as the pain in his chest grew increasingly unbearable. He grimaced as his medicine tasted like bile in his mouth. 'I know…I'll live. I'll make it hard for them to get through the day by being by their side. Ahh sweet revenge…'

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

He stared bitterly at the darkness of the night. "And Choutarou didn't even bother waking up to defend me…che…must be the fruits of my labor earlier." he put off the remains of his cigar in his palm, not minding the burning pain it caused. 'Now I have all the right reasons to completely let go from the world whom I thought I'll begin to love and will love me back.' He took out another stick and lighted it. 'You really are stupid Ryoma. You thought by going to Japan you can start over…hell no.'

"Choutarou, you told me once that it's ok to go ahead and get myself in a crash and get burned. You said I won't be alone…but look at me now. I have no one to help me pick up the shredded visage of my life. No one's going to help me glue my shattered soul back together. Hell, having it smashed so many times made it barely recognizable." Ryoma sighed as he inhaled the nicotine-filled smoke. "I don't think if I can put the pieces back together anymore…not without you."

_Swallow me then spit me out_

_For hating you, I blame myself_

_Seeing you it kills me now_

_No, I don't cry on the outside_

_Anymore..._

"Tomorrow… tomorrow's the start of my life in the void. I shall hear nothing, see nothing and feel nothing." he blew a puff of smoke into the air. "What Tezuka said was right…I'm a tool…nothing but a mere tool to achieve their goals…"

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

'Goodbye Choutarou." Ryoma fought back the tears that welled up in his eyes. 'For tomorrow Ryo-kun will be long gone. Just like two years ago…the Lynx shall take over. I'll go ahead and bury Ryoma Echizen six feet under along with Carlos.'

_Here I am, once again_

_I'm torn into pieces_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend_

_Just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry_

_Behind these hazel eyes_

"Welcome back to the life in the dark, Ryoma Echizen." he closed his eyes. "You'll fit right in. You know how to play the game." Golden orbs dimmed to hazel ones… "let's start the parade of pretentious fools. I'll be the star of this circus."

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A/N: shucks so painful…I hate doing this stuff… I don't want to hurt Ryoma …but I have to…TT

Oh yeah…Yukimura became Ryoma's knight of shinning armor in this chapter for as you have read, Ohtori's slightly incapable as of this moment.


	27. listen

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Listen". Beyonce Knowles does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

P/S: I love the song…the first time I heard it in the movie, "Dreamgirls" I instantly fell in love with it.

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Tachibana groaned when he felt the sun's rays fell on his face. He just turned to his side and shielded his face from the sun.

"Tachibana-kun…"

"Five more minutes…" Tachibana muttered against his pillow. He groaned when he felt his head pounding.

"You don't have five minutes Tachibana-kun." a female voice rang in his ear.

"Why?" the Fudomine captain borrowed deeper into the confines of his bed.

"Because your roommate is missing."

With this, despite the hangover and the headache, Tachibana abruptly sat up and squinted his still-drowsy eyes. When everything came into focus, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of empty bed beside his.

"What happened? Where is Echizen?" he asked, soon realizing the all of the coaches are inside their room.

"Let me ask you the same questions, Tachibana-kun." Ryuzaki-sensei hissed. "What happened? Where is Echizen?"

Tachibana swallowed hard at the eminent danger in front of him. "I…he…I thought he was here last night when I came in for bed."

Sakaki-sensei shook his head. "You thought…" he muttered.

"You better give us an explanation regarding a couple of sake bottles we found by the trash after we have located your roommate." Hanamura-sensei muttered as they helped the boy up to his feet.

"We'll think of a good punishment later regarding bringing and drinking alcoholic beverages after we find Echizen and see if he's ok." Ryuzaki-sensei said as they walked out of the room.

"Why won't we ask for help from the other kids, Ryuzaki-sensei?" Tachibana asked.

"I'm not stupid to not know what's going on among you." Ryuzaki muttered under her breath.

Tachibana sighed as they walked quietly along the corridor. He was surprised to see Yukimura waiting by the door looking very worried.

"I'll help." The Rikkai captain announced.

"Yukimura-kun—" Banji muttered.

"I'm the one who stopped them last night." Yukimura bit his lip. "I don't deny that I had a drink or two but I'm worried as hell for Ryoma's welfare. I heard you talking when I got out of the bathroom."

Sakaki-sensei sighed. "Fine." The man turned to Ryuzaki-sensei. "I'll take Yukimura-kun and we'll search the forest. Banji-san, you go with Hanamura-sensei and search the building." He eyed Tachibana. "You go with Ryuzaki-sensei and search for Echizen in the courts."

"Hai."

"And Hanamura-sensei…"

"What is it?"

"Alert the clinic just in case we find the boy in a..." he trailed off when he saw the alarmed faces of the coaches. "…in a less favorable manner."

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

Yukimura followed Sakaki-sensei through the forest.

"Is Echizen-kun sick, Sakaki-sensei?" Yukimura dared to ask. "You and the other coaches seemed tense when you told Hanamura-sensei to alert the clinic."

Sakaki sighed as he searched amongst the bushes. "Yes he is."

Yukimura was taken aback. 'But he didn't get any concussions yesterday, right?'

"His father notified us that they didn't really go to US to sort out some insurance problems. The truth is, Ryoma was rushed to the hospital last Saturday due to a mild cardiac arrest." The Hyotei coach explained.

"Cardiac arrest?!" Yukimura shuddered. "You mean…"

"It wasn't that grave but he could've died if his parents acted too late. He was diagnosed to have some acute heart illness due to an overdose of certain substances." The Hyotei coach turned to him. "It could've been the end of Echizen Ryoma."

"Oh my god…" Yukimura gasped.

"We've been watching him closely during the camp. The doctor said that he's ok to play but we have to watch out for possible emotional turmoil…"

"Oh god…he was in distress yesterday…"

"So I guess we better hurry."

The two walked deeper into the forest when…

"Stop." Sakaki-sensei held Yukimura off when the came into a clearing with a lush mango tree in the middle. "Be quiet." And they tread softly towards the tree and cigarette butts became visible under it.

"He's here." Sakaki-sensei whispered. They went under the canopy of leaves and indeed found Echizen sleeping on a low branch.

"Echizen…" Yukimura gasped. The boy's face never looked so pale. Sakaki-sensei felt the boy's forehead.

"Oh crap…" the coach spat.

"What is it?" Yukimura asked.

"Go run and get some help." Sakaki-sensei turned to him. "Better yet, bring in a lot of blankets and a stretcher. The boy's hypothermic." Yukimura didn't get seconds thoughts as he rushed out of the forest, willing his feet to go faster.

"Please…" Yukimura prayed. "...please let him be safe!"

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

They rushed the shivering boy inside the clinic where the doctor and the nurse are ready to accommodate him. Any sign of intoxication was erased from Tachibana's system as he watched in horror as they checked for Ryoma's vital signs.

"Temperature is at 34.70C, respiration is at 30 rpm, blood pressure is as 90/70 mm/Hg…" the nurse shook her head. "Pulse rate is as 60 bpm."

"We have to warm him up!" Ryuzaki-sensei unfolded a lot of blankets and placed it over Ryoma. With all the ruckus around them, the two third year students just stood in one corner looking very terrified.

"How long he's been exposed?" the doctor turned to them.

"I-I don't know…" Tachibana stuttered. "Maybe all night?'

"I think we have to turn the thermo up." Banji suggested.

"We can't." the doctor told them. "By increasing the temperature suddenly, his cardiovascular system could shut down completely."

"What are we supposed to do? Call the ambulance?" Hanamura-sensei whined.

Yukimura was anxiously watching them border into hysteria when…

"Yukimura-kun, what are you doing?" Tachibana gasped when the Rikkai captain shed off his clothes until only his shorts are left.

"I read in a book once that conduction of body heat is a more favorable first aid for hypothermia." The handsome boy said and he moved on to strip Ryoma of the blankets and his clothing as well.

"Brilliant!" the doctor clapped his hands. When the boy was down to his shorts, Yukimura jumped in next to him on the bed and embraced Ryoma tight. "Go on and wrap them with the blankets."

Ryuzaki-sensei and Sakaki-sensei anxiously placed the layers of blankets over them.

Yukimura held the boy to his body as close as he could. 'Please let him be alright…please let him be alright…please…' these thoughts ran through his head like a mantra as he placed a chaste kiss on the freshman's forehead. "Please…"

potpotpot

It was already 10 am and only then that the boys started to get out of their respective beds, not knowing of what happened earlier.

"You know, I haven't seen a bit of Tachibana, Echizen and Yukimura yet…" Eiji yawned as they fell in line in the cafeteria. "You'd reckon they're already practicing?"

Momo scratched his head. "Mou…I don't think so…god this headache is killing me…"

On the other side of the cafeteria sat Kirihara and Yuuta, eating their breakfast silently when…

"Akaya Kirihara and Yuuta Fuji, please come with me." Hanamura-sensei called when he got inside the place.

"Huh?"

"I need you in my office….NOW." and with this, the two scrambled after the Jyousei coach.

"Whatever could've happened…?" Oishi muttered.

"I do not have a good feel about this." Fuji muttered as they took their seats. He glanced at the corner when Tezuka and Atobe sat, mindlessly playing with their food. "Ne, Oishi…what happened last night?"

Ohtori suddenly barged in. "has anyone seen Ryoma?" he asked Fuji.

"Nope…haven't seen him since I woke up." the tensai replied. "Might be outside playing, I guess."

Ohtori bit his lip as he slumped to the seat next to the tensai. He could almost hear his own heartbeat.

"Daijobou desu ka, Ohtori-kun?" Oishi asked.

"Ne, Fuji-senpai…" Ohtori muttered.

"Hai…"

"I have a nightmare last night." Ohtori whispered.

"A nightmare? About what?" Fuji asked.

"I saw Ryoma…he's calling out to me before he slowly vanished into thin air." worry flashed in his hazel eyes. "What could be the meaning of it?"

"I don't know Ohtori-kun…" Fuji muttered. "But nightmares are usually the opposite of reality."

"Souka…"

potpotpot

Kirihara and Yuuta followed the female coach towards the clinic silently. The coach wordlessly opened the door for them.

"What the—"the two were speechless when they saw Yukimura seated on the bed next to Ryoma clad only in his boxers.

"Get in." Ryuzaki-sensei glared at them.

The two stiffened as they inched towards the menacing Seigaku-coach.

"I'll go get the kids." Sakaki-sensei said. "Tachibana-kun, you can now get your breakfast but please not a word about this. Yukimura-kun, you can follow once you're done fixing yourself." Soon Banji-sensei and Hanamura-sensei went after him.

"Hai, Sakaki-sensei."

The Hyotei coach was long gone when Kirihara finally found his voice.

"What happened to him?" he stared at Ryuzaki-sensei who was seated by the window.

"He spent the night outside, Aka-chan." Yukimura muttered as he put on his pants.

"What?!"

"And happened to you, Yukimura-san?" Yuuta asked.

Ryuzaki-sensei cleared her throat. "He saved Ryoma's life. His temperature is up to 36 flat…he'll be fine."

Yukimura put on his shirt. He took once last glance at Ryoma. The innocent look on the boy's face made Yukimura's heart flutter. 'I glad you're ok now.' He sighed and went for the door. "I'll be in the cafeteria if you need me, Ryuzaki-sensei." He gave Kirihara and Yuuta each a pat on the shoulders before exiting the clinic.

"I don't understand what's going on." Yuuta muttered as he sat on the bed.

"I too…why is everything so complicated and difficult nowadays?" Kirihara sat beside him.

'in due times, boys…in due time." Ryuzaki-sensei sighed and ruffled their hair. "Now I'll deal with your senpai-tachi for grave negligence while you two stay here and make sure no one disturbs him."

"Hai…Ryuzaki-sensei."

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Sakaki-sensei waited wordlessly for the players to finish eating their breakfast. He gave Yukimura a knowing glance when the Rikkai captain entered.

"Do you think they've found out of last night?" Marui whispered to Jackal while they eyed the coaches suspiciously.

"I don't know." Jackal replied.

"Yeah…" Niou sighed when they saw Yukimura chose to sit alone in a table. "Man…buchou's pretty mad at us."

"I know…" Sanada frowned. "None of us acted the way we should've last night."

"We better go talk…" Yanagi trailed off when he saw Ryuzaki-sensei entered the cafeteria.

"I want everyone to sit together according to school with the captains and vice-captains all seated up front." The woman announced. The players moved with urgency, sensing the impending doom. Ryuzaki-sensei glared at them menacingly as she scanned the room full of squirming students.

"Would anyone explain to us the eight bottles of sake that we found by the trash this morning?"

The students visibly flinched.

"No one?" Sakaki-sensei snarled.

Ohtori caught Fuji's eyes and nodded. The tensai slowly raised his hand, earning collective gasps from the rest.

"Fuji Syusuke?!" Ryuzaki-sensei cried. "I expected a lot from you!" she banged her fist on the table making the tensai cringe in fear.

"A-ano…"

"Ano Ryuzaki-sensei it wasn't him alone." Somebody spoke up from the Rikkai table who was none other than Niou. "It was the two of us."

"I cannot believe this…" Hanamura-sensei muttered.

"Captains!" Ryuzaki-sensei shrieked. "How can you be so irresponsible?!" she turned to Tezuka. "Do you have anything to say for yourself, Tezuka-kun?"

The bespectacled boy bit his lip. "Ano…it was…"

"It was indeed a careless and irresponsible and foolish thing to do Ryuzaki-sensei." Atobe stood up and bowed his head low. "And we apologize." The other students snapped out of their trance and did the same thing.

"GOMEN NASAI, SENSEI-TACHI!"

Hanamura-sensei sighed in defeat. "What are we gonna do?" she turned to the other coach. Banji smiled and stepped forward.

"Since you admitted that you were wrong, you will each receive corresponding punishments." The Yamabuki coach smiled. "Don't worry, you will not be suspended from the team since the National tournament is near and given that none of these will get to the public and no parental complaints are raised."

"Don't worry sensei…we won't tell our parents." Eiji cheered.

" but there will…if things don't turn out the way we planned them to be, your punishment will be decided and you'll be hearing from us in a few days…all of you." The old man continued.

"What are you talking about, Banji-sensei?" Atobe asked. "Surely you won't tell our parents right?"

"Of course not…however Ryoma Echizen's parents will demand some answers sooner or later."

This caused a wave of murmurs.

"He ratted us on his parents?!"

"No way…I haven't even seen his shadow last night."

"And he's not that much of a blabber-mouth."

"Enough!" Ryuzaki-sensei growled. The room instantly fell quiet.

"His parents will surely inquire why their son nearly died last night when his senpai-tachi didn't even give a damn about him sleeping outside, perched on a tree with only a tiny jacket on!!!"

Ohtori paled at the statement. "n-no…" he stood up abruptly. "You're not kidding right?"

Tezuka froze at the news.

"Yes, Ohtori-kun." Sakaki-sensei stood beside the Seigaku coach. "We found him early this morning in the forest, sleeping and nearly frozen to death. If it wasn't for Yukimura-kun's help we would be attending a funeral after this."

Ohtori felt his knees turned jelly as he slumped back in his seat. "This is not happening…oh god…"

"I know that you have your private lives but we can't just sit around and watch this whole fiasco." Ryuzaki-sensei sighed. "Tell me what exactly is going on, Tezuka-kun."

Tezuka sighed before standing up to face everyone. He took a deep breath before he started to speak.

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'Why does my head feel so heavy and my back feels like it's been hammered a dozen times…' Ryoma moved in his sleep when he gently bumped into something. 'Now I don't remember having to sleep next to anyone…' he groaned as he started to stir awake.

"God Akaya he's waking up."

"Easy now Ryoma…"

The freshman stretched his limbs as he same into full wakefulness.

"Why am I in here?" he asked as he scanned the room, relieved that it was Kirihara and Yuuta with him inside.

"Ryuzaki-sensei said they found you sleeping on a mango tree branch, shivering." Yuuta frowned.

"You almost died Ryoma. What were you thinking?" Kirihara bleated while Yuuta helped the boy to drink water. "Ryuzaki-sensei said that you were hypothermic and your temperature was down to 34.7 or something. Were you trying to kill yourself?"

Ryoma gaped at his friends as the words sunk in. "oh really?" golden orbs blinked. "I never realized I fell asleep on that branch. Must've been too tired to go back to my room." deep inside the boy flinched. 'I hope I'm a convincing liar.'

"Fine…but next time, don't make us worry like that." Yuuta ruffled his dark locks. "If it wasn't for Yukimura-san you'd be in rigor mortis right now."

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"So you can't accept the fact that he's not completely being honest with you regarding his life in the past, who he loved and everything?" Hanamura-sensei stared at them stupidly. "This is atrocious!"

"But being involved with him, we have every right to know." Tezuka answered back.

'I don't know how to explain this to them.' Ryuzaki-sensei shook her head.

"And just that? You're pissed off because he wouldn't tell you anything about Carlos De Vera?" Sakaki-sensei muttered in outrage.

Silence filled the cafeteria.

"There is a reason why he doesn't talk about Juan Carlos De Vera." Ryuzaki-sensei soon spoke up, her expression unreadable.

"Go on, sensei…enlighten us." Atobe scoffed.

"Will you give it a rest with the attitude, Atobe?!" Fuji suddenly yelled, causing the room in erupt in murmurs.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!!" Ryuzaki-sensei screamed. It seems like the whole cafeteria froze. "He doesn't talk about Carlos because the boy's dead."

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"Ne…"

"Yes?"

"I left my medicine inside my bag. I really need to take some right now." Ryoma said. "Will you get it for me, senpai-tachi?"

Kirihara and Yuuta nodded. "Ok…we'll get it for you. Just don't move an inch ok?"

Ryoma started guiltily at their retreating backs. He took out something from his pocket and frowned. In his palm were three tablets of sublingual nitroglycerine. "I'm sorry." With his he stood up and left the clinic.

potpotpot

"The whole Lily-crest community was shocked when news that Juan Carlos De Vera was murdered two years ago, not far from Chilton." Sakaki-sensei muttered while studying the stunned faces in front of him. "The boy received a total of four gun wounds which claimed his life an hour after he was rushed to the hospital."

"Oh my god…" Atobe gasped.

Tezuka was gaping back at the coaches; the words still haven't sunk in.

"I didn't know…" Ohtori muttered.

"Having your best friend, your first boyfriend, your self-confessed soul mate die in front of you is not something you'll find easy to tell anyone, even if it's your responsibility." Ryuzaki-sensei told them. "His life was a wreck before he came to Japan. He's got vices that are unacceptable for someone as young as he is: smoking, alcoholism, and sex…maybe even drugs…I don't know. But one thing's for sure, when he came to Japan and had established relationships among you, especially you Tezuka-kun and Ohtori-kun, he has found the strength to start a new life."

'I'm such an idiot for assuming too much…" Ohtori buried his face in his hands as he reflected on the information he received. 'I was so consumed with my love for him that I became blind to the rest of his being, blind to that part of him who's buried in a never-ending sorrow of losing…' his thought bubble popped when Ryoma appeared by the door.

"Now what is this? You're having the end-of-camp celebration without me?" the freshman smirked at them before approaching the sound system to pop in CD.

"Echizen! Why are you here?" Ryuzaki-sensei cried.

"Ne abuella, it's not nice to leave me out of these things." Ryoma turned to his senpai-tachi and scoffed when he saw their pale faces. "Wow senpai-tachi I can see you're up and about already. I saw how you got wasted last night… man it was so amusing that I can say that it's ok for me to die since I'll die a happy man."

"Echizen!" his senpai-tachi protested.

"Hai, hai…" then the childish glow in his eyes disappeared when his face sobered up. "That's why I spent all night thinking of the perfect song to offer to you in this celebration. Since Nationals is coming up…" his gazed locked with Tezuka's. "…and we need to celebrate Seigaku' acquisition of a perfect tool to win the Nationals." He put great emphasis and a lot of sarcasm in the word "tool" which made most of the third years gasp. "I dedicate this song to all of you, but most especially to my dear captain, Tezuka-buchou and Monkey King.

"What are you talking about, Echizen?" Momo asked, getting really confused.

"Oh you will know, Momo-senpai…" anger flashed in Ryoma's eyes. "You will."

_Listen,_

_To the song here in my heart_

_A melody I've start_

_But can't complete_

The room feel eerie silent as Ryoma started to sing. It was like every word that comes out of his mouth was like knives stabbing their hearts. It was so morose, very different from that he usually sings.

_Listen, to the sound from deep within_

_It's only beginning_

_To find release_

_Oh,_

_The time has come_

_For my dreams to be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside and turned_

_Into your own_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen..._

Ryoma started to walk towards the tables, his eyes eternally glued at Tezuka and Atobe. 'Listen carefully to my words…this is how you think of me and how you make me feel…'

_Listen,_

_I am alone at a crossroads_

_I'm not at home, in my own home_

_And I tried and tried_

_To say what's on my mind_

_You should have known_

"Oh my god I think he heard what Tezuka and Atobe said last night." Akazawa muttered to Mizuki.

"I know…" the manager gritted his teeth. Akazawa caught his expression and tried not to laugh since Mizuki looked like he was going to wet his pants.

_Oh,_

_Now I'm done believin' you_

_You don't know what I'm feelin'_

_I'm more than what, you made of me_

_I followed the voice_

_You gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own…_

Tezuka was pinned on his seat as Ryoma's gaze seemed to bore holes in his soul. The pain, the anger, the hatred was evident in his eyes as he serenaded the two captains. He felt his heartbeat tripled when Ryoma's expression changed from sober to angry.

Atobe's hands were shaking as every word slapped him on the face. 'I never realized how much pain I've caused him…damn now he won't even want to be close to me after this. Baka Keigo!'

_You should have listened_

_There is someone here inside_

_Someone I'd thought had died_

_Sooo long ago_

Ryoma could feel his heartbeat thundering in his ears as he released all his anger, his aggression and pain into the song. 'You know nothing about me. You don't have the right to speak of me that way! No one…no one will…' tears started to fall. 'No! Stop flowing you stupid tears! They're not worth it!'

_Ohh I'm free now and my dreams to be heard_

_They will not be pushed aside on words_

_Into your arms_

_All cause you won't_

_Listen..._

"He sounds really mad." Inui muttered. He caught glance of Ohtori was felt a pang of guilt in his heart when he saw the silent tears streaming down the boy's cheeks. 'We've been idiots from the way we acted…'

"Nya, O'chibi's song is so sad…" Eiji sniffled. "And he looks really mad at us."

Fuji wiped the tears that welled up in his eyes. "I'm sorry….so sorry…" the tensai muttered as Ryoma continued torturing their hearts with his song.

_Listen,_

_I am alone at a crossroads_

_I'm not at home, in my own home_

_And I tried and tried_

_To say what's on my mind_

_You should have known_

_Oh,_

_Now I'm done believin' you_

_You don't know what I'm feelin'_

_I'm more than what, you made of me_

_I followed the voice_

_You gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own..._

"Ryuzaki-sensei, this could be bad for him." Hanamura-sensei tugged at the Seigaku coach. "I think we should stop him."

Ryuzaki turned to her with tears in her eyes as well. "No. I don't think we could still stop him now." She turned her gaze back to the freshman. 'I'm sorry for not being there to help you ease your pain, Ryoma. I knew that you're not completely healed and yet I let things happen…I'm sorry…'

'Ryoma…" Ohtori continued to cry silently. '…I'm really sorry. I should've sensed something was wrong that…you were suffering all along. Now I know it's not about how Tezuka left you. Now I know why you're pushing me away…'

_I don't know where I belong_

_But I'll be movin' on_

_If you don't..._

_If you won't..._

Ryoma poured all his strength as the melody elevated. He wanted to cry, shout and scream bloody murder. There was a painful tug in heart and tears flowing endless from his eyes. 'You know nothing about the pain I'm in. You know nothing…you…" Ryoma's nose flared at the fury inside him reached boiling point. 'And how dare you speak ill of Carlos?! If you knew about his sacrifice…if you only knew what he has done, you'd feel very much akin to worms, so little and so insignificant compared to him.'

Not long after, everyone has tears in their eyes, drawn and captivated by the mournful song of the freshman.

'This is it…this was the reason why you wanted to be alone.' Yukimura brought a shaking hand to his mouth as he tried to control himself from breaking down. 'I if only knew…if…'

_LISTEN!!!..._

_To the song here in my heart_

_A melody I've start_

_But I will complete_

The room was filled with so much emotion that it became suffocating as Ryoma almost screamed his frustrations out.

Ohtori couldn't control himself anymore as he sobbed his heart out. He felt that ever every word squeezed the life out of his heart. 'If I only knew about this…I'd protect you from the nightmares…the memories…the calumny from the eyes of the rest of the world.'

Tezuka could feel the warmth of tears as they soon fell inhibited down his cheeks. All of Ryoma's anger was directed towards him.

_Oh,_

_Now I'm done believin' you_

_You don't know what I'm feelin'_

_I'm more than what, you made of me_

_I followed the voice; you think you gave to me_

_But now I gotta find my own..._

Ryoma clenched his fists as he gave everything that he's got...

_My ownn..._

The silence inside the cafeteria was deafening. All that can be heard was Ryoma's slight panting. He boy was about to turn around and leave when a hand grabbed his.

"You don't not have the right to lash out on us unless you've told us the whole truth." The expression of Tezuka's face was ravenous; his grip on Ryoma's arm was tightening.

"Let go of me." Ryoma calmly stated despite the tears.

"No." Tezuka breathed. "Not unless we've got everything cleared.

Anger flashed at the freshman's eyes before it constricted cat-like. "I said…LET GO!!!!" he yanked his arms from Tezuka's death grip.

"Keep your hands off him Tezuka!!!!" Ohtori, Fuji and Yukimura all cried in unison.

But Tezuka would have none of it. "We now know what happened between you and Carlos. You don't have the right to make us look like we're the villains in this story because you never told us anything in the first place!" the once-calm buchou exploded in anger. "Now that we've learned something about your past, it'll be just as easy to continue—"

"YOU THINK IT'S THAT EASY?!" Ryoma screamed. His face was already red from rage. A glare from his Lynx's eyes got them rooted to the ground. "You think it's easy to tell anyone that your boyfriend, your soul mate died in front of you because he was stupid enough to push you back when you pushed him aside first to save him from the bullets?!"

"You think it's easy to accept and forget how he was lying on the streets bathing in his own blood while I just stood there, watching him gasped for breath while my feet were rooted to the ground?!"

"Ryoma, that enou—"

"You think it's easy to accept the fact that after shooting your boyfriend four times, the murderer just said "Sorry dude I thought you were someone I knew" ?!" Ryoma was loosing control of his emotions. He never wanted to tell what really happened two years ago but the angry words seemed to slip out of lips like molten lava.

Tezuka was taken aback by the series of answers he getting from Ryoma. 'n-no…I never planned it to be like this…'

"You think it's easy to accept the fact that while you boyfriend instantly forgave the murderer while he was choking in his own blood?!"

"Ryoma please…stop this…please…" Ohtori sobbed.

" you think it's easy to live and survive knowing that your boyfriend stupidly wasted his last breaths on earth clinging to your last kiss, to your last embrace, preventing you from pushing the god-damned button to call for help as his vital signs started going down?!" his lips quivered as he tried to keep himself from wailing. "you think it' easy to tell anyone that I wasn't able to do anything to protect him let alone save his life?!?! You think—"Ryoma trailed off.

"Ryoma please enough…I think they got your point." Ryuzaki-sensei wiped her tears away.

"No." Ryoma muttered. He then turned back to his senpai. "You will never understand how I felt living every single day of my life knowing that somebody's friend, classmate, brother, son died because he was stupid enough to give up his life for someone as undeserving as me!!!" he muttered in outrage. "You will never understand because you've never been there."

"Ryoma…please forgive us…we didn't know." Fuji pleaded.

"Forgive?" Ryoma scoffed as he wiped his tears away. "A bit rich for you to say that now, Fuji." The temperature inside the room seemed to have dropped as the freshman's glare intensified. "I don't think I can after what I've heard. You think you know Carlos and I enough to judge us, well you're wrong. You don't know me and you will not have a chance to do so in the future."

The boy turned on his heels but paused only to look back at them with hatred flashing in his eyes. "Oh I remember what you said last night Tezuka-buchou," The said boy snapped back into reality. "About being a tool to win the Nationals. I'll take the offer. I'll let you use me to that extent but more than that, you'll get nothing out of me." with this the boy started to exit the cafeteria.

"Matte Ryoma!" Ohtori cried. "Where are you going?"

Ryoma bit his lip when he heard Ohtori's pained voice. He turned about to look him in the eye with more tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'll be going back to my own hell on earth Choutarou. That's where I'll wallow in my self-pity." Ryoma gave him one last sad smile before disappearing through the door.

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No one moved an inch even though it had been a few minutes since the freshman was long gone. Soon they heard hurried footsteps and Kirihara and Yuuta bolting inside.

"Where is he?!" Yuuta gasped.

"Where's that moronic little chibi?!" Kirihara added.

"Why?" Sakaki-sensei turned to them.

'He tricked us into looking for his medicines so that he could get away from us!" Kirihara protested.

"He has his medicines inside his pocket all the time, Kirihara-kun." Banji told them.

"We know!!!" the two cried in unison. Kirihara was about to say another word but stopped when he saw the faces of the players.

"What happened here?" the Rikkai ace asked.

No one answered.

"Hey, we're asking you a question! Earth to dumdums!" Yuuta was getting annoyed.

Still no one answered.

"I think we better go and look for him." Ryuzaki-sensei sighed and pulled the two out despite their bodily protests.

"Wait, what happened?!" Kirihara cried as Ryuzaki-sensei dragged them out of the cafeteria.

"Damn it!' Yuuta cursed. "If something bad happened to him there will be a bloody massacre later!!!"

"Oh shut up."

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'Make it go away…' Ryoma mused as his eyelids started to drop. 'I don't want to face any of these right now. It hurts…it hurts so much having you self smashed into million tiny pieces by the persons whom you trusted…' a single tear trickled down his cheek. 'Maybe Carlos shouldn't have saved me in the first place…if he didn't then I will not be suffering like this now. All I wanted was to have some…peace…' Ryoma could feel the pill taking effect on him. He curled up into a ball as he let himself be drawn completely into the darkness.

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Ohtori mindlessly wandered along the corridors. After Ryoma disappeared he felt his whole body grew numb and his brain shutting down. He was still in a daze when he slowly walked out of the cafeteria while the others scramble to find the missing freshman.

Ohtori snapped from his daze when he tumbled into a room. Not realizing how he got in there, he went inside and sat on the bed of which Ryoma was supposed to be occupying. He took a deep breath as he basked in the scent that was Ryoma's alone. He took Ryoma's pillow and hugged it tight. 'Ryoma…will you allow me to grab hold of your hand like before? Will you share your pain with me?'

Shishido happened to pass by the same room in his search for Ryoma. He was surprised though to see Ohtori packing up Ryoma's clothes.

"Choutarou…" Shishido called.

"He's such mess with out me, you know." Ohtori mumbled as he neatly folded Ryoma's shirts.

"Choutarou…look I'm sorry for everything that happened between you and Echizen…" Shishido bit his lip as he stepped inside the room but the sophomore is still in a daze.

"He needs me to clean up after him. He's one of those typical boys who could care less about everything as long as he can eat and sleep and play tennis, of course. I've learned that when I spent two days with him."

"Choutarou…"

The sophomore finally looked up to him but his eyes are still preoccupied. "But you know he's been like a devoted wife to me during those times. He made sure that I was well taken care of and he cooked for me. Imagine that, Ryoma Echizen wearing an apron cooking dinner for me…"

Shishido sighed and shook his best friend. "Snap out of it Choutarou!" Shishido cried. "I know you're in a difficult situation now, given that Atobe and I messed everything up for the two of you…" his arms went limp and dropped to his sides. "And I know how much you love him so you better break away from this trance so that you could go ahead and look for him."

Ohtori's eyes suddenly snapped into focus. "A river…" he muttered.

"What?!" Shishido thought his best friend had lost it.

"Is there a river here? Or a stream which is deep enough to drown a person?" Ohtori rambled. There was a certain flash of fear and alarm in his eyes.

"What? No! There's no river or stream in this camp Choutarou. What re you talking about?" Shishido asked worriedly.

Ohtori slumped back on the bed as he tried to calm himself. "Are you sure Shishido-san?" golden orbs looked up to him. "Coz you know he loves jumping off the bridge and into a river if he gets depressed. "

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The whole camp was turned upside down as they searched for the freshman. Every nook and cranny was checked but still no Ryoma Echizen to be found.

Shinji and Kamio spotted the bus that would fetch them.

"He wouldn't…" Kamio muttered.

"It's one of the places we haven't looked into yet." Shinji told them.

"Fine." Kamio said before the two ran towards the awaiting bus.

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A/N: argh!!!!!!!!!! I'm losing it!!!!! I…don't…know…what…to…do…anymore…huhuhuhuhu!!!! Help anyone?!

MAKE ME HAPPY AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!

Sublingual nitroglycerine – a pain-killer placed under the tongue to be dissolved. First aid remedy for pain caused by deprived oxygen supply a.k.a Angina pectoris.

Lily-crest – main symbol of Hyotei and its sister schools.

Hypothermia- case where the body temperature is lowered from the normal threshold, causing body functions to depress and may eventually lead to death.

Rpm – respiration per minute. Normal: 24-25 rmp for kids

Bpm – beats per minute. Normal: 80-100 bpm for kids

mm/Hg – millimeter per mercuric increase. Normal: 120/80 mm/Hg

Tell me if something in the story's bothering you ok? I'll do my best to clarify items for you.


	28. everytime i look at you

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Every time I look at you". IL Divo does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Kamio and Shinji went up the parked bus to go look for the freshman when…

"Great you're here!" the bus driver looked worried. "There's a kid who got on earlier and I saw him took a pill or something then he just fell asleep. I went to check on him and noticed that the bottle of sleeping pills beside him. I don't know if he overdosed or not but…"

"Don't worry Ji-san." Kamio cut him off. "I'll go get the coaches." The Speed Demon hopped out of the bus to get to the sensei-tachi.

Shinji shook his head as he walked down the aisle. "Taking in pills…I never thought you'd be this self-destructive Echizen. "The tensai of Fudomine kneeled in front of the sleeping boy. He took off the cap and was surprised to see tears streaming down his face despite the fact that the freshman was sound asleep. "Even in your sleep you still shed tears for the ones you have lost. Carlos, Tezuka-san, Ohtori-kun and a whole lot more. They're so many that you don't even know who you're crying for…poor Echizen…" his reverie was cut short when the students and the coaches started climbing up the vehicle.

"Shinji-kun!" Hanamura-sensei cried. "Kamio-kun said he took a pill or something, is that right?"

Shinji nodded. Kirihara and Yuuta pushed their way through the crowd just to get to the freshman.

"Damn you Ryoma…" Kirihara muttered. "…why do you love to take on problems on your own?" he tossed the bottle of pills to Yuuta. "Count them so that we'll know how much he took."

Yuuta caught the bottle expertly and poured out the contents on the space next to the boy. He started counting the little white tables while Kirihara was turning the boy into a more favorable position for sleeping.

"He's drugged alright…" Yagyuu muttered. "He just kept on moaning and yet he's not waking up when Akaya moved him."

"29!" Yuuta cried. He took the bottle and read the texts on it. "He didn't overdose. This bottle is supposed to have 30 in it. I think he just wanted to get away from reality for a while." the scarred boy told his friend.

"Good." Kirihara muttered.

"Everybody go get your bags." Sakaki-sensei announced. "We'll be leaving in ten minutes!"

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"I really hope he gets the surprise of his life…" unearthly blue eyes shined in excitement.

"He'll be shocked alright…knowing that we'll never be separated ever again." Steely-gray eyes softened into brown ones as the light touched them.

"Now, now my little fairies… the doctor said he should not be burdened emotionally." A man brushed a few strands of his wavy blonde hair off his broad shoulders he as spoke. "Little Gummy Bear is not in a very good condition right now."

"But dad… he will be ecstatic when he finds out that we're here!!!!" the miniature of the man said giddily.

The boy next to him smiled and pushed his glasses up. "Yeah…and that we're here to stay."

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The students started boarding the bus earlier than scheduled. Ohtori was the one who packed away Ryoma's things and brought it with him. He was devastated though when he got up the bus and saw the state Ryoma's in. he didn't know what to do first. Should he drop his things and go to the freshman immediately or should he get a seat first then politely ask permission to be with the boy.

His dilemma was soon answered when Kirihara called his name, beckoning him to come closer.

"He's been calling your name." Kirihara turned to him, his eyes pleading. "Would it…"

Yuuta sighed. "Would you sit beside him so that he would stop crying?" the Hyotei sophomore blinked back in surprise before he nodded and took Yuuta's place beside Ryoma. He wrapped his arms around him and gently placed the boy in his lap. He did this in utmost care, not wanting to hurt Ryoma in any possible way. Tears welled up in his eyes as Ryoma snuggled closer to him and whispered his name.

"It's ok, Ryoma…" Ohtori whispered to his ear. "I'm here…you'll be safe in my arms." He placed a chaste kiss on the boy's forehead. "You're butterfly has flown back to you."

Sakaki-sensei stood up and stared at the students sternly. "Ok, none of these should get to public. We will be the one who'll talk to the Echizens and I'm trusting that you'll all shut your mouths closed if you don't want to be pulling out of the tournament, understand?"

"Hai Sakaki-sensei!"

"Now kids…" Banji-sensei gazed at them with utmost sympathy. "…I know you're tired, emotionally, mentally and physically so take this time to rest up. I know the camp didn't end as peacefully as we expected and some things that we have learned today may have left a permanently scar on our hearts," his gaze fell on Ohtori and Ryoma, "but it doesn't end here. The course of your lives shall be decided by the efforts you make to make amends and start anew."

"I know that all of you are capable of doing so, as long as you are brave enough to admit to yourself that there are people that you've done wrong and people who have wronged you. As I have said when we began this journey, be brave or if you can't, pretend to be." Banji smiled at them. "Some of us need much support and help that we can offer so don't hesitate to do so. Through small efforts, who knows? Maybe those shattered relationships might become whole once more."

"Hai sensei." The students chorused.

Ohtori tightened his arms around the freshman as he reflects on Banji's words. 'I'm sorry for judging Carlos immediately. I didn't mean too. I guess I was just too consumed with jealousy, knowing that a place in your heart will always be occupied by him." Ohtori brushed the stubborn strands off Ryoma's eyes. "I promise I will never, ever hurt you again…" Ohtori whispered to the sleeping angel in his arms. 'So that Carlos will would guide and bless our relationship, knowing that you're safe with me.'

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Yukimura smiled sadly as he gazed at Ohtori and Ryoma. 'It's sad to know that you'll never be mine Ryoma. I've grown very fond of you… knowing that you are the reason why I'm here today.' He felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around only to see him team mates smiling at him.

"We're very sorry Seiichi." Sanada muttered.

"We didn't act the way Rikkai students, no, Rikkai Tennis Club members should." Jackal added.

"Please forgive us." Yagyuu said.

Yukimura's face brightened at the sight of their sincere faces. "Don't worry. I'm not mad anymore." He smiled sweetly at his team mates. "Let's start anew, ok?"

"Hai!"

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.a soft melody started playing in the bus' radio, lulling some of the students to sleep and awakening the hearts of the others.

_I used to think that I was strong_

_I realize now I was wrong_

"Atobe…"

"What is it, Jirou?" the Hyotei diva asked.

"The greatest battle ever fought by anyone is the battle of love that can never be. No matter how strong your shield is or how sharp your sword is, the bleeding cannot be prevented and the hurt will never be concealed." Jirou said, leaving everyone dumbstruck for it was the longest statement he's ever said without falling asleep in mid-sentence.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Atobe stubbornly retorted.

"Atobe you have to accept the truth." Gakuto muttered.

"Yes indeed Atobe for the wound of the flesh can be healed but the wound of the heart will forever leave a scar that will remind you of a battle never won." Oshitari said. "As your friend, I'm telling you, let Echizen go. Ohtori can sure make him happy more than you can."

Atobe huffed and stubbornly glued his gaze outside. 'Che! Don't you think I've already realized that?'

_Cause every time I see your face_

_My mind becomes an empty space_

_And with you lying next to me_

_Feels like I can hardly breathe_

Shishido was still sulking in his seat but he occasionally snorted and scoffed whenever his team mates would try and berate Atobe. To him, realizing what his team mates wants Atobe to realize was already done for him.

Shishido smiled sadly as he gazed at Ohtori. 'Maybe it wasn't love. Maybe I became so attached to him that I developed a need for him…just a need, not love.' The boy just shook his head as realization dawned upon him on how idiotic he was these past months. 'Maybe I was just scared to admit it, even to myself because I know that if I did, I might lose the person who actually gave a damn about my life.'

_I close my eyes_

_The moment I surrender to you_

_Let love be blind_

_Innocent and tenderly true_

_So lead me through tonight_

_But please turn out the light_

_Cause I'm lost every time I look at you_

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Ohtori was lost in a sea of emotion by just having Ryoma back in his arms, the two of them breathing the same air and hopefully having their hearts beating rhythmically. 'Ryoma… let's start over. I know that getting you back will be a lot harder than before. The trust that we had established in the past may have been shattered, but I'll do my best to pick up the pieces and put them back together so that we should start over.'

_And in the morning when you go_

_Wake me gently so I'll know_

'I refuse to belief that what we had is just a dream…' Ohtori gazed lovingly at Ryoma's peaceful face. He was glad that the tears stopped flowing from those eyes that he adored the most. 'That it was nothing more than a fragment of a fantasy. If it was indeed a dream, I just want to stay asleep forever and never be awaken so that we'll be together…'

_That loving you was not a dream_

_And whisper softly what it means to be with me_

_Then every moment we're apart_

_Will be a lifetime to my heart_

'And if ever I wake up from that dream I want your face to be the first thing that I see every morning of every single day of my life.'

_I close my eyes_

_The moment I surrender to you_

_Let love be blind_

_Innocent and tenderly true_

_So lead me through tonight_

_But please, please turn out the light_

_Cause I'm lost every time I look at you_

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"Syusuke…"

"Tell me Kunimitsu…" Fuji replied, his voice is as soft as an angel's. "What was I to you?"

Sad brown eyes blinked back the tears.

"I'm asking you this because now that I've had some time to think, I actually don't know my role in your life. I don't think I'm on rebound since we did not cheat on Echizen first nor I'm just filler or something." Fuji opened his eyes and gazed into Tezuka's

_Lost every time I look at You_

The Seigaku captain was astonished by the way Fuji's eyes sparkled despite the hint of sadness. "Rest assured that you're not a filler, Syusuke."

"Then what am I to you?"

"I-I don't know yet…"

"Che! Thought you'd say that."

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The rest of the ride home was peaceful and quiet. The students became restless though when they found out that they're back in Tokyo. Ryoma was still fast asleep even until the bus arrived at Hyotei. What got the students curious was when they saw an unfamiliar black limousine beside a white one in the parking lot. Since they left the camp earlier than what was scheduled no one was waiting there, except for two limousines.

"Atobe, you don't need two limousines to pick you up right?" Sanada asked.

"The black one is not mine." Atobe stated. "Mine has an Atobe family crest on in."

The bus stopped and soon the students climbed down. Ohtori had no choice, and probably would not object that since Ryoma was still asleep, he had to carry the boy bridal-style down the bus. He almost dropped the boy though when he saw who stepped out of the limousine.

"Oh my lord…" Yuuta muttered.

"Must be my lucky day…" Kirihara grinned as he walked towards the limo.

"I'm not saying no to that." Sylvan grinned back.

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Rinko was busy pretending to make her self busy in the kitchen. After she received a call from Ryuzaki-sensei about what happened in the camp, she couldn't do a thing right.

"I think its best that you lie down for a while Rinko." Florenz sighed in exasperation when Ryoma's mother nearly squashed the tomatoes. The kids were busy decorating and cleaning the house while the parents work in the kitchen for their dinner party. Who would've thought rich, pampered kids like Mathieu and the rest know how to do house chores like sweeping the backyard, mopping the floor and a whole lot more? And who could've guessed the company CEO's and socialites like their parents know how to work in the kitchen without any maids or cooks to help them?

"Yes Rin…" Cassandra said while she continued slicing some vegetables. "You better go before you hurt yourself."

"Sumire-san already said that he's ok now." Estelle smiled at her. "You don't have to worry too much."

"But he—"

"Now you better not be as hard-headed as your son Rinko." Janet spoke from where she was standing, in front of the stove. Then they heard hurried footsteps and soon…

"Mom Karupin's being difficult!" Alexandra protested. She and the twins were cleaning out the rooms while Antonio and Stephan took on the music room. The eldest sons with Nanjiroh and Rodrigo went out to buy groceries after cleaning out the temple. "She doesn't want to get off Ryo's bed and I really, really need to change the sheets now."

They just laughed at her predicament.

"Why don't you go and find Estrella." Estelle said in between giggles. "Maybe she can be charming enough to lure Karupin out of the room."

Then there was a crash from upstairs.

"What was that?" Cassandra asked, looking very alarmed.

"Aunt Rinko I think Karupin just found a new toy to play with!" Antonio's voice rang inside the house.

"Yeah…and it was you're lampshade!" Ericka added.

Rinko sighed. "She's been restless for these past few days having Ryoma away in that camp."

"So that makes the two of you now go before Carlos's pet finds another lamp to unleash her frustration on." Florenz added.

"Fine..."

"Argh! The blasted cat got my hair!" Alexandra shrieked then followed by a hearty chuckle from the bubbly Estrella.

"Wow Karupin, you have good taste." They heard Hyacinth snorted.

"This is bound to be a riot." Janet muttered.

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Kirihara was one happy boy to be reunited with his boyfriend after three weeks.

"What are you doing here? I mean, you didn't even call or something…" Kirihara ranted.

"That's what the word "surprise" is used for Akaya." James droned. His face lightened up though when he caught sight of Ryuzaki-sensei. "Mimi-baa-san!!!" he squealed and jumped into the coach's arm.

"There, there Jamie…" Ryuzaki caught the over-joyed boy in his arms. "Now why are you here?"

"And don't you still have school?" Yuuta asked. The rest of the students were just rooted on the spot, watching the scene in a daze.

"Well mister, our special curriculum and fast-track subjects allowed us to finish ahead of the rest." James smiled. "That gave us time to prepare the papers needed for transfer."

"Transfer?" Eiji asked.

The door of the limo opened and a 6-foot version of James stepped out of the car.

"My we do have a nice bunch of students here, Sumire-chan." the imposing stature in front of them smiled lovingly at the students.

"Mr. Warren Thorrington?" Sakaki-sensei croaked.

"Oh hi there Tarou." The handsome blonde man regarded the Hyotei coach as if he's a little boy. "Now where's my Little Gummy Bear?" he asked, scanning the stunned faces in front of him.

"Uh…pardon?" Atobe asked.

"Where's my Little Gummy Bear?" Warren asked once more. The students looked at each other in confusion. "Oh so cute."

"He's looking for Ryoma." Sylvan called out for he and Kirihara were already inside the limo, savoring their "together-again" moments.

"Oh…"

"He's here, Thorrington-san." Ohtori took a step forward with Ryoma in his arms.

Warren's face was flooded with worry when he saw Ryoma sleeping in Ohtori's arms. "Oh no…" he muttered as he held out his hands. Ohtori hesitantly turned Ryoma's body over to James' father. "Oh god…whatever could've happened to my Little Gummy Bear?"

Some of the kids snickered upon hearing Ryoma's nickname.

"He's just tired Warren." Ryuzaki-sensei said.

Warren tightened his arms around his pseudo-nephew. "Tsk, tsk, tsk…poor Ryo…" he sighed. " I'll take them home now, Sumire-chan. the ladies are expecting you tonight as well." he motioned the driver to get their bags. He ruffled James' silky locks. "Come now Firefly…we have to get home as fast as possible so Dominic can take a look at Gummy Bear."

"But wait!" James cried and turned to Yuuta. "You and your brother are coming with us."

Yuuta blinked back the surprise. "Huh?"

"Come on!" James stomped his feet. He then went to Fuji only to drag the tensai towards the car. "This is your brother right? Come on!"

"Wait!" Yuuta protested. "Stop man-handling my aniki!" he growled in frustration but the tensai and the young blonde were already inside the limo. He sighed in resignation as he let the driver take their luggage. "Fine…"

"What just happened?" Momo dared to break the silence a few minutes after the limo drove off the parking lot.

"I had no idea…" Aoi replied.

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"Was that boy carrying Ryoma earlier Choutarou Ohtori?" James asked. They've been quiet for a while as they let the Japanese boys get accustomed.

"Yes." Fuji responded.

"He seems a quiet, gentle boy…" Warren muttered as he cooed at Ryoma who was still fast asleep.

"He's tall…" Sylvan had his arms crossed at his chest.

"And so?" Yuuta asked.

"Ryoma hates tall guys." James replied.

"Not Ohtori." Kirihara defended the Hyotei sophomore.

"Ne James-kun…" the tensai spoke up, his eyes opened. Warren smiled at the boy.

"Look Firefly, another pair of precious stones like ours."

"Wow…yours are like lapis lazuli!" James gaped at the tensai dreamily. Then he snapped out of it and stared at Yuuta. "And yours are nothing like his."

Yuuta just scoffed.

"Why do you love taunting him, James?" Kirihara asked.

"Because…" James snorted. "He's as stiff as a rock." His comment made poor Yuuta blush. James flipped his blonde tresses off his shoulders before turning his attention back to the tensai. "What was it again?"

Fuji ignored his brother-complex as he smiled back at the brash blonde. "You said something about transferring earlier…"

"Oh that…" James's voice dropped to a whisper. "It was supposed to be a surprise for Ryoma but I guess I slipped." He then eyed at Sylvan.

"What is it, Sylvan?" Kirihara asked the bespectacled boy beside him.

"We're staying for good…" Sylvan muttered. "Or rather as long as we're well-behaved and wouldn't give Aunt Rinko and Uncle Jiroh frequent headaches…"

"I don't understand…" Yuuta mumbled.

"Ease up people, coz the Unspeakbles will turn Seigaku upside down." James announced.

"NANI?!"

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A/N: I dun like this chap…what's happening to me?!?!?! I have summer classes so I'm trying really hard to finish this story before we start.

PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PUHLEASE?!

But oops… I don't think I made it by the cut-off time (sobs).


	29. family

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Family". The makers of "Dreamgirls" do. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

Let's take a detour from the romance-drama-angst and take a closer look at the life of Ryoma. This might clear up some questions…I hope.

AND YEAH….THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN THEY WAY THE SONG IS INCORPORATED. JUST THIS ONCE, I'LL TRY HAVING IT IN A STYLE AKIN TO THAT OF A MUSICAL PLAY. TO THE POSSIBLE FLAMERS…IT'S OK, YOU'RE HUMBLY ACCEPTED. BUT JUST THIS ONCE…PUHLEASE…!!!!!! THANKS!!!! IT'LL GO BACK TO NORMAL AFTER THIS CHAPTER THOUGH.

I JUST HAD TO DO IT TO BRING OUT THE BEAUTY OF THE SONG. BUT OF COURSE, I TWEAKED THE LYRICS TO MATCH MY SCENE.

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Ryoma was given immediate care when they arrived at his house. Kirihara, Yuuta and Fuji were stunned to see almost everyone from the "Buena Familia" inside.

"Wow… is there a party or something?" Yuuta asked as he scanned the living room which was filled with decorations.

"Well, sorta…" Sylvan tugged them in. Inside they saw each and everyone for who he really is which is very different from what everyone was used to be while in US. Inside the Echizen's house the once-formal and standoffish crowd looked relaxed and laid-back.

"Amazing isn't it?" Warren was ecstatic while he led the boys into the living room. "It's been six years since we last came here and celebrated as one big family."

Fuji scanned the placed and was amazed by how it was sparkling clean. "So you hired workers to clean the place?" he heard Kirihara asked.

"Oh no." James looked offended. "We may be pampered, rich kids but we do know how to do house chores and stuff." He held his head proudly. "Our parents, especially Uncle Jiroh and Aunt Rinko made sure that we're able to survive on our own. "

"Oh there you are my little cuddly bears!!!" Nanako squealed when she appeared by the stairs. She ran down and gave each one of them a hug, much to their surprise I mean.

"I'm so glad that you came." She smiled at them.

Fuji chuckled a little. "Saa…let's just say we're taken against our will." He smiled at the younger blonde who in turn just flipped his hair off his shoulders.

"Akaya?" they turned around to see Cassandra, Janet and Estelle coming out of the kitchen. Cassandra's expression softened at the sight of the brunette. She then gave him a warm hug. "Oh we miss you so much, hijo." Cassandra held Kirihara's hand in her hands, making the poor boy blush. "And this must be Yuuta." She turned to scarred boy next to Kirihara. "Oh James talks so much about you."

Yuuta blushed crimson. He caught glance of the blonde boy and was surprised to see a taint of blush on his cheeks as well. "Ano…"

"There wasn't much to talk about when Ryoma's gone." James chimed in. "that's all."

The other kids started hooting and teasing the two.

"Not fair!!!" James protested.

"Now what do we have here?" Dominic appeared at the top of the staircase.

"How was Ryoma?" Estelle asked which caused the whole room to quiet down.

Dominic smiled at her. "He'll be fine. I gave hit a shot so he'll be waking up in a few minutes or so." He sighed. "But given that he's supposedly the godchild of valium, it might take some time for him to get out of bed."

"Uncle Jiroh and Aunt Rinko are with him right now. They're fussing over the poor boy. Good thing that Uncle Igo and Estrella are there to do damage control." Rayver said. "Or is it? I don't know."

"Ok, people break it up. Let the kids retire for a while." Mat spoke up. "Ray, help me with these bags ok?"

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Rinko was pacing the length of Ryoma's bed while Nanjiroh and Rodrigo sat by his bedside, watching the boy.

"When will he wake up, Papito?" Estrella asked.

Rodrigo shook his head as he took the little girl and placed her in his lap. "We don't know yet, me Benita. Just pray to Jesus that Ryo-nii-san wakes up soon." He smiled when the little girl closed her eyes and brought her hands together, as if she's praying.

Nanjiroh held his son's hand. "Be strong Shounen…do not give in to the darkness."

Rinko sat beside her husband. "If what Sumire-san said was true, oh goodness he might…"

"Don't say that Rinko." Nanjiroh said in a clipped tone. "Your son has changed."

Rodrigo brushed off the stubborn strands of the freshman's face. "Don't worry; we're all here to help him."

"Tio…" Estrella whispered. Nanjiroh gazed into a pair of blue orbs. "Will Jesus help him this time?"

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The three were seated on the floor with the rest of the BF members surrounding them.

"Wow…I wonder how you actually met and became friends." Fuji stated.

"The Echizens came to Protected Pines when Ryoma was still two months old. Nanjiroh was at the peak of his career as a professional tennis player while Rinko was starting to earn fame as a good lawyer. We were still one of the typical rich families who have their own problems to deal with. Having the Echizens as our neighbors turned our lives upside down and made us change for the best." Warren said.

"Really?"

"Yes." Florenz nodded. "Before we met them, our marriage was in the verge of destruction." He gazed lovingly at his wife.

"And ours too." Janet added. "Rod and Estelle's marriage was still strong but their having problems with their kids."

"Nanjiroh and Rinko were like counselors to us. Without them, our marriages could've ended up in divorce. They taught us that all the richest in the world could amount to nothing if those you love are not with you." Estelle told them.

"Wow…" Yuuta was amazed.

"So that's how we became friends. I never imagined it'd be possible to clear Saturdays and Sundays just to be with the family but when Nanjiroh had us started, we couldn't stop. We're even surprised to find out that we've missed cocktails and dinner parties…" Janet smiled.

"Or meetings…"

"Social gatherings…"

"Over-time from work just to get home by 7 pm to eat dinner with the whole family and tuck the children to bed." Florenz finished for them.

"Yeah." Mathieu butted in. "I can still remember how everyone gathered at one house where the moms and dads play cards while the kids played to their hearts' content."

"But Ryoma and the others were still babies that time so they always end up together in the nursery room, sleeping like there's no tomorrow." Antonio added.

"Yeah…those were the good days." Hyacinth and Ericka sighed in unison.

"Yeah you were still cute back then." Alexandra snorted.

Fuji shook his head at their antics. 'You had such a good life Ryoma…but look at you now.'

"That was the start of their lifelong friendship. I can still remember that even as babies, they already look up to Ryoma as if he's their leader and since Ryoma has a peculiar sleeping habit and cries abruptly, it seems like the three gets stressed as well." Rayver told them. "After that they can't seem to move if one was missing. From cradle to grave…you can't have much that kind of bond these days."

"Is that true?" Kirihara turned to Sylvan.

The bespectacled boy pushed up his glasses then nodded. " being born into a rich family and being the youngest as well, we have a lot of grievances that sometimes our parents couldn't solve no matter how hard they try. One is lack of attention and the other was sibling rivalry. Honestly, it was Ryoma who filled that hollow part of our personality. He became a parent, a brother and most of all, a friend to the three of us."

"That's why we never left each other's side." James added.

'Wow…if Ryoma had such solid foundation for his personality, how come he's so far off from human contact?' Yuuta mused.

"So they went to prep school together, then to kindergarten and eventually until grade school." Nanako said. "We actually thought that the news of Ryoma and Carlos's relationship would break them apart but it actually made them stronger."

"Yeah." James droned. "We told them that we won't have anything against their relationship as long as they don't go lovey dovey while Sylvan and I are around."

"We've been pampered by Ryoma for too long to be pushed aside to give way for Carlos." Sylvan scoffed. "And since CJ was a saint in disguise, we didn't have further problems after that."

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Ryoma started to stir in his sleep.

"Papito, Ryo-nii-san is waking up!" the little blonde jumped in glee. The three just stared expectantly at the freshman as the effects of the sleeping pill started to wear off.

Ryoma soon opened his eyes and this earned a squeal from Estrella.

"Eek!!!" the girl jumped behind her father. "There goes his eyes again, Tia!"

Rinko was alarmed at the sight of Ryoma's cat-like eyes. "Ryoma…is there something wrong? Your eyes…it's…"

Ryoma was fully awake and soon felt reality flooding back to his senses. All he could remember was the confrontation earlier. He blinked a couple of times but still his eyes won't go back to normal. "It's fine mom." He yawned.

Nanjiroh was frozen on the spot. The last time Ryoma behaved this way was a day after Carlos' funeral. "Shounen, if there's something bothering you…" he trailed off when the boy wordlessly got up and walked towards the bathroom.

"Ease up, dad…" Ryoma stared back at them, his eyes boring holes into their souls. Even Karupin was too scared to approach him "I've never felt so good before." he then locked himself inside the bathroom.

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"Forgive me for asking, minna-sama. But how did he become a self-destructive person?" Fuji asked. His question seemingly turned the temperature down.

"Ryoma was devastated when my brother died." Stephan spoke up. "He can't seem to pull his life back together and he succumbed to depression."

"The night that Carlos died, he tried to kill himself by jumping off the bridge. It would've been fine but the rapids are treacherous that night." Sylvan sighed. "It was fortunate that James and I were still in the right state of mind so we were able to save him. I even had to beat him into a pulp in hopes to get him out of his trance."

"But it seems that my son's death did a greater damage to him, so great that he sunk deeper into despair." Estelle muttered.

"He started cruising through the days as if he's someone else. He was drinking and smoking uncontrollably. What's worse he started acting like James." Sylvan grimaced.

"Hey! I resent that!" James protested.

"A lot of female hearts were broken as he lived the life in the fast lane. At one glance you'd think he's over it but the numerous suicide attempts and countless tears shed, not only by him but also his parents, had proven that he's still hurting." Florenz bit his lip as a sudden flood of memories took over him.

"What made him change?" Kirihara asked.

"We don't know." Nanako frowned. "He just woke up one morning, lucid as if he just woke up from a deep slumber. It was then that we have found hope that he'll be able to get back into the light. That's why we decided to go back here so that we can start anew."

"But given what happened to him these past few weeks…" Cassandra muttered. Their meeting was cut short though when Estrella ran down the stairs.

"Mamita, Mamita!!!" the girl cried. By the look on her face is seemed like she witnessed something really scary.

"What is it, darling?" Estelle caught her daughter.

"Ryo-nii-san's eyes…Mamita…" the girl sobbed. " Ryo-nii-san's scary eyes are back!"

"Oh no…"

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Ryoma studied his reflection in the mirror. His golden orbs were long gone and all that's left was his piercing cat-eyes. This gave him a scarier aura, always menacing and intimidating as before.

"From this day on, no one will ever be able to come close to me…" Ryoma muttered. He vigorously washed his face before stepping out of the bathroom, only to be greeted by the stern faces of his uncles.

"Wow…who called a family reunion?" Ryoma asked but he got nothing aside from being dragged out of his room.

Ryoma tried to fight off his uncles but they're too strong and given that he's just 12 yrs old and they're standing mightily at forties. Warren and Florenz brought the boy into the living room where everyone awaits anxiously.

"What the hell is happening here?!" Ryoma demanded after being released from his uncles' death grips.

"We're not doing through this again Ryo." Cassandra said. They watched in horror as Ryoma's eyes seemed to glow in anger.

"I don't need this!!" Ryoma cried. "I want to be alone, can't you see?!"

"But Ryoma…we're here!" Sylvan cried. "Let us help you this time!"

Ryoma glared at his best friend. "Help?! I don't need any help! I can get by on my own!"

"ENOUGH OF THIS YOUNG MAN!" Florenz' voice boomed inside the house. "You will not display this kind of attitude towards other people who are willing to help you!"

Ryoma glued his eyes to the ground. "I just want to be alone for now…please…"

"Ryoma, no matter how much we wanted to give you space, we can't." Estelle appealed to the brunette. "For we know you'll just go back to your old self."

"Don't be like this Ryoma." James cried." Look we even transferred to Seigaku so that you'll never be lonely again."

Ryoma's head shot up when he heard what James said. "What?" he blurted out. "Seriously, you don't mean that…"

"It's true Ryoma." Kirihara chimed in.

"No…"

"Everything will be ok, just give us a chance." Sylvan added but he bit back his tongue when he saw Ryoma's hurt expression.

_What about what I need?_

"Uncle Jiroh said it'll be the best thing for everyone." Nanako asked hopefully. Ryoma clenched his fist to subdue his anger.

_What about what's best for me?_

"With James and Sylvan here, you won't feel alone and depressed anymore. It'll be just like the old times." Rayver added.

'Don't you understand?! I need to be alone!!!' Ryoma mentally protested.

_What about how I feel?_

"You will have help in running RJ since we're planning to install a new RJ in Clariel Shibuya. It'll be perfect." Mathieu stood beside Nanako, looking at the brunette expectantly.

_What about me?_

_What about me?_

Ryoma bit back the bitterness he felt. "I don't want to stay for this…I'm out." he started to walk away when a hand grabbed his. He turned around only to see his father, gazing at him lovingly.

"Shounen…Ryoma…"

_It's more than you, it's more than me_

_No matter what we are, we are a family._

He pulled the boy into his embrace. 'I will not let history repeat itself Shounen…I'll protect you no matter what.'

_These plans are for all of us, this one is for real_

_And you can't leave us now, because of how you feel._

Rinko came towards them and placed a hand on Ryoma's shoulders. His eyes seemed to soften a little as the sight of the tears on his mother's eyes.

_It's more than you, it's more than me_

_Whatever things we planned, it's for our family._

She tugged her son to look at the hopeful faces of their friends.

_You're not alone anymore, we have our friends here_

_And you're pain is great enough that we wanted to take our share._

Ryoma bit his lip hard to suppress the tears. Never in his whole life he had so much love and caring around him. 'Maybe I shouldn't push them away anymore…' his lips quivered a little when he saw James and Sylvan walking towards him.

_So don't think you're going. You're not going anywhere_

_You're staying… don't you ever dare._

James and Sylvan embraced him.

_And if you get afraid again, we'll be there…_

Soon the tears that he has been fighting back were let lose as he succumbed to their warmth. "I'm sorry….s-so sorry…" Ryoma sobbed. Soon everyone joined in the music in which they created, in the melody in which they prevailed…in the harmony in which they will start to thrive on.

_We are a family, like a giant tree_

_Branching out towards the sky._

_We are a family, we are so much more_

_Than just you and I_

They held each other's hands, even Fuji, Yuuta and Kirihara. In their struggle to reach out of the poor boy they stood united, hoping that their one voice would soften Ryoma's granite heart.

_You are a family, like a giant tree…_

Nanjiroh held his face in his hands. 'Shounen, you're not alone anymore…we're here to help you. Don't give in to the Lynx…please!'

_Growing stronger, growing wiser!_

Ryoma dissolved into fits of tears as his heart was finally melted. He collapsed into his knees…unable to control the emotions that came over him. 'Oh god…how could've been so stupid?! The lynx will never do me good…it is my family that will help me pick up the pieces of my life.'

_We are growing free…_

Rinko took Ryoma into her embrace. 'I love you, son. I shall never leave you…'

_We need you…_

Fuji wiped the tears the escaped his eyes. The scene before him was so heart-wrenching. 'You will regain your youth now that you have a whole lot of people ready to take your hand and pull you up after you've crashed into the ground. And I'm glad I'm one of them…'

_We are a family…_

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After their dinner, Ryoma decided to retire in the music room. Since their house only has six rooms made for sleeping, it was decided that they will go back to basics. The kids aging 15 years and below are to sleep together (Japanese style: futons!!!! Yay!!!) In the music room while the older people will take the rooms.

He has already changed into his PJ's before he went into the veranda with a cup of punch in his hands. He didn't expect though was for Fuji to stand beside him as he stared into the vast pool of stars above them.

"Echizen…"

"You know, Carlos loved to count the stars whenever we're out on the patio. He would beam like a kid then start counting until he falls asleep." Ryoma took a deep breath. "We were soul mates, he said that I complete him and vice versa. We were born on the same day and yet our personalities are poles apart." Ryoma gazed up his senpai. "During our tenth birthday, I made his dreams come true. He wanted to be a star and have a place of his own in the heavens so I did everything I in my power so that I could get a star be named after him: the Carion' Cluster. In return he gave me Karupin, so that I will not be parted to him anymore,"

"I should've foreseen what will happen in the future by just that statement alone."

"But you're only human, Echizen," Fuji told him. "There are things that happen outside of your control."

"I know." Ryoma replied. "But don't you wish sometimes that you were a god instead so that when things go wrong you can go back with just a snap of your fingers to right everything?"

"I think that's part of being human. Our incapability to live a perfect life grants us the desire to take control of everything around us." Fuji opened his eyes so that gold could meet with sapphire. "Even I do that sometimes."

"Like wanting to change what happened to you and to Kunimitsu?" Ryoma suddenly asked.

Fuji blinked back the pain. "You know, you have a knack of hitting the nail on the head." This comment made Ryoma smirk.

"Did you feel the same when Carlos died?"

Ryoma's face sobered up. "Carlos death was like death to me as well. Losing someone who actually gave a damn about how you really feel or who you really are felt like drowning into the pyres of hell and yet emerging alive only to suffer the same thing the following morning." He took a sip from his cup, then grimaced upon finding out that it's not cold anymore. "I had to escape…I had to do something to appease the pain in my heart."

"Is that why you tried every vice known to a man?" Fuji raised his eyebrow.

"FYI, I don't gamble. Smoking was a habit even before Carlos died so as drinking." Ryoma replied. "And sex…it gave me warmth for about two seconds and then I'm back in the cold once more. Everything I did was an experiment to rid myself of the woes of my past. In my quest for redemption, I didn't notice that it caused more damage than the healing that I expected."

"Oh really?" Fuji asked. "What happened?"

Ryoma scoffed. "Playing with high school girls was ok. They understand what the words "one-night-stand" and enough meant. JH and graders however…"

"Were a pain in the ass..." James suddenly spoke up. The two didn't notice that James and Sylvan crept inside the room.

"Oh you too, James-kun?" Fuji asked.

"If Ryoma is the "Jock"…" Sylvan smirked. "…James is the "Walking Sex Machine."

James scoffed. "I can't help it if everyone wants to get a piece of me."

Fuji was surprised to hear Ryoma's laughter again after a long time.

"I think you should laugh more often Echizen." Fuji stated.

Ryoma smiled sadly. "I don't think I could do that anymore…"

"Idiot…" James and Sylvan muttered in unison.

"When will you stop turning your back to someone whom you really want to be with? When will you stop making Ohtori-kun feel he's neglected when in fact he is important?" Fuji asked.

"Ano…"

"It's difficult to show someone that you don't mind when in fact you care a lot," Sylvan told him, "to avoid someone when in fact you want to take a stolen glance."

"Stop it guys…you don't know a thing…"

"It's hard to treat someone as if he's an ordinary being when in fact he's really special." James added, "To let someone realize that his presence is naturally welcomed when in fact it creates an extraordinary excitement."

"This is none of your business…"

"Echizen…"

"Ryoma…"

"What?!"

"Stop saying things that are contrary to what or how you feel…"

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A/N: finally…I love this chapter!!!!!! screams I love it, I love it I love it!!!!!

Please make me happy and review!!!!!

Although some of the reviews put me down…I'll do my best to continue. Am only human…I can't help it if MS Word's Spelling and Grammar check says that my work is good to go…I do have little time to revise…GOMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And besides…am still learning.


	30. wherever you will go

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Wherever you will go". The Calling does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape and dreams will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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"_Hey... I don't think the beanie will do me any good," Carlos sighed as he re-adjusted the beanie on his head for the tenth time. _

"_I cannot let you out there without it because I know that once I did, the cold will just turn your ears and nose so red that you can even mistake it for wedges of tomato stupidly attached to your face." Ryoma crossed his arms on his chest, signifying that he's not going to back down from their argument. He knew by heart that the cold January air will cause Carlos' allergies to resurface. _

_The redhead pouted. "But if we wear these things, don't we look just like the members of the newly formed gang here in Glendale…" Carlos trailed off as he gazed worriedly at his boyfriend. "I'm asking again, are you sure?"_

_Ryoma sighed. "Seriously? Come on, they're not stupid enough to mistake us for members of the stupid gang." _

_Carlos went towards the brunette and embraced him. "It's just that…I have a feeling." _

_Ryoma's eyebrow arched up. "What is it now, CJ?" _

_Green eyes blinked back the fear. "Nothing. I just have a feeling… you know what kind of feelings I get, right?" _

_Ryoma smirked before he held Carlos' face in his hands. "You're not gonna die Carlos, not today, not tomorrow." He placed a small kiss on his pouting lips. "And besides, I'm here. I'll protect you." _

_Carlos' eyes sparkled in delight. "Really? Oh Ryo you're the most amazing person in the world!"_

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Ryoma stirred in his sleep. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he succumbs deeper into his dream. It started good…but some dreams usually end up into nightmares. His gentle moans dissolved in the midst of snoring, courtesy of Kirihara and Stephan, preventing them from pulling the brunette from being sucked deeper into the darkness of his subconscious.

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_The two walked hand in hand along the snow-covered Elk Street as the gentle snow-laden wind caressed them._

"_You do understand that we have to hurry, right?" Ryoma said in a clipped tone. _

"_Aw come on Ryo," Carlos was taking his time making sure his footprints are deep enough in the snow covered pavement. "It's like the winter version of the bible's Footprints on the Sand." _

_Ryoma let out of a sigh of frustration. "Look, first thing is we do not have sand here, we have snow. Next, weather forecasts said something about a mini blizzard. Third, Jamie will surely screech into our ears for being late for HIS pictorial!" _

_Carlos shook his head. "Fine…fine."_

_Ryoma closed his eyes for a while and was stunned to see Ohtori, not Carlos, standing in front of him. "What the—"_

"_You look like an irritated snake Neko-chan," Ohtori smiled. _

"_I-I…" a shadow passed swiftly behind him which sent chills down his spine. With his superb eyesight, he saw a boy, not older than 13 took out a gun from his jacket. _

"_Choutarou!" Ryoma cried as his body moved by instinct. He stood in front of the tall boy only to be whisked away. His blacked out for a few seconds. He was harshly pushed back into reality at the sound of four gunshots. _

"_Ha…got y-you there N-Neko-chan…"_

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Ryoma sat up abruptly. He was panting hard and his heart was beating so hard and so fast that he thought it would jump out of his chest. He brought one shaky hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead, still feeling the little tremors run through his body.

"I had it again," Ryoma mumbled. He glanced at the sleeping figures around him and pouted when he saw how peaceful they were in their sleep. The boy fell back on his futon and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and again he saw the bloody image of Ohtori lying on the snow-covered street. He abruptly opened his eyes as he felt a sickening tug on the pit of his stomach. 'I've been having these dreams ever since the Senbatsu camp. I don't understand why Carlos' face kept on morphing into Choutarou's.' Golden eyes blinked back the fear. 'Am I going crazy?'

This mental question met nothing. As the gentle night breeze touched his soft skin, he started drifting off into Lala land once more.

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Tezuka sighed as he surveyed the handful of players getting ready for their morning practice. Fuji and Ryoma were still not there and this puts more pressure on the now-weary captain.

'I've made a lot of mistakes these past few days. I know that…' Sadness flashed in those brown eyes. 'However I'm only human. I'm bound to make mistakes because of my imperfections.' He frowned when he saw the rest of the regulars except for the two tensai entered the courts. 'And as a proof of that imperfection, I'm at a loss right now. I don't know where and when to start fixing the mess that I've made.'

"Ohayou, Tezuka." Oishi smiled at the captain sympathetically. While the others were still in disappointed on how their captain behaved, Oishi knew that there's still always another side to the story.

"Fuji and Echizen are late," Tezuka said sternly, trying to mask his true feelings. "Make you they're dealt with according once they arrive."

"I understand." Oishi nodded.

"Oh here they come!" Eiji squealed at the sight of the two appeared.

Tezuka gave Oishi a knowing nod and the vice-captain went to greet the two with their daily punishment.

"But we were late because we had to take Sylvan and James to the principal's office." Ryoma protested when Oishi said that they are to run 20 laps.

"It's ok Echizen," Fuji smiled at him. "Nationals are coming up and we need to get into our best conditions to ensure Seigaku's win."

Ryoma cast Tezuka a look before dropping his bag and started on his laps. Fuji in turn gave his ex-boyfriend a piercing look before going after the freshman.

Tezuka followed the two with his gaze. 'I'm paying the price of my decisions.'

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Gakuto was wandering around the campus that early morning when he happened to see Ohtori seated under one of the lush trees. He wanted to surprise the sophomore so he crept slowly towards him. That's when he soon heard the light soothing sound that was coming from a shiny black Spanish guitar that the hazel-eyed boy was currently playing.

"Wow…I never thought you could work outside your comfort zone," The acrobat murmured. Ohtori's head snapped up only to see the impressed look on his senpai's face.

"Ohayou, Gakuto-senpai." Ohtori greeted.

The acrobat flopped down next to him and eyed the instrument in his hand. "When did you start playing?"

Ohtori smiled sadly. "A few days ago…I want to surprise Ryoma with a song using this. He was very eager to take me out of my classical orientation and have me started on this kind of instruments. "

"Ohh…" Gakuto nodded absent-mindedly.

"But given that he's down-right mad at most of us, I'm having a difficult time looking for ways to reconcile with him," Ohtori lazily caressed the strings.

"Well dumdum, if you love him that much you shouldn't be hesitating." Gakuto drawled.

"Pardon?"

"I said, "Gakuto sighed. " Tell me, how did you make Echizen fall for you in the first place?"

Ohtori blushed and smiled a little. "Well…"

"Well what?" Gakuto was getting annoyed.

"Well I was very insistent on how I felt about him and I made sure that he gets that by showing him that I'll always be there for him." Ohtori replied.

"See?" Gakuto dramatically stretched out his arms. "That's the solution to you problem! Just go back to basics; never give up until you have him back."

It was as if Gakuto's words woke up every sleeping cell in his body. Ohtori smiled as the words finally sunk in. "Yeah…" he nodded. " I guess that one could actually work out."

Gakuto scoffed. "Of course it will work because I thought of it," he then smiled at his kohai. "Now come on and blow me off with a song from this little baby."

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Ryoma and the others were busy doing stamina training when James and Sylvan showed up.

"Sylvan-kun! James-kun!" Eiji gave the two bone-crushing hugs. Most of the players laughed at the opposite reactions the two gave. James returned the favor buy hugging Eiji back while Sylvan slowly and politely tried to pry the senior off him.

"Welcome to Seigaku's Tennis club!" Oishi greeted. "It might not be as prestigious as Chilton's but you can't doubt the strength behind it."

James smiled. "Oh don't worry Oishi-san. We've been here a couple of times before. We're not new to this place. "

"Yes," Ryuzaki-sensei appeared. "I can't still remember how you gave me a hard time looking after the four of you while you ran around the campus like little gremlins having the time of their lives."

"Really, sensei?" Momo asked.

"The last time they came to visit Seigaku was six years ago. Nanjiroh was busy checking out the club and he left me to take care of these kids." Ryuzaki sensei told them.

"Souka…"

"You shouldn't be here," Ryoma spoke up.

"Pardon?" James asked.

"There is 90 probability that he would say that." Inui muttered while scribbling in his notebook.

"Ano, Echizen that's not very nice." Taka stuttered.

"We're practicing. You are interrupting." Ryoma placed his arms across his chest and glowered at the two.

"Oh come on!" James sighed and showed Ryoma the red Tennis bag he's carrying. Sylvan did the same thing which earned gasps from the rest.

"They're tennis players?!" murmurs spread throughout the court.

"What the—"Ryoma gaped at his friends. "Are you nuts?! James, aren't you supposed to join the soccer club?!"

James flipped his blonde tresses off his shoulders. "Well we checked out your soccer club's record and no offense but it sucks. You know very well that I cannot be in something that sucks." James' smile was oozing with mockery. "And besides, Daddy said that it's ok if I try to take on a road less traveled."

Ryoma couldn't believe what he was hearing. He threw Sylvan a helpless look but only earned a long silent pause.

"Sylvan!!!" Ryoma whined.

"Seriously? You're asking me why I'm here?" Sylvan coldly stared back at Ryoma. "You know the reasons. Your school doesn't have a Wushu club and you know by heart that you can hardly pull off a decent doubles game with anyone except with me."

"This is ridiculous!" Ryoma cried.

"EVERYONE, 20 LAPS AROUND THE COURT!!" they heard Tezuka bellowed. The look on the captain was terrifying.

"I told you…" Ryoma glared at Sylvan and James as they ran side-by-side.

"Was that your ex-boyfriend?" Sylvan asked.

"Try harsh!" James added as they sped up with pace.

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_So lately, been wondering,_

_Who will be there to take my place?_

_When I'm gone, you'll need love_

_To light the shadows on your face_

Ohtori strummed the strings with ease as he started singing. He was feeling light after the "talk" he had with his Gakuto-senpai. The redhead in turn was enjoying the soft music coming from both the sophomore and the instrument.

_If a great wave shall fall_

_It would fall upon us all_

_And between the sand and stone_

_Could you make it on your own?_

"Oi Gakuto—" Oshitari suddenly appeared only to have his body pulled down and a hand clasped on his mouth.

"Shhh," Gakuto whispered into his ear. Oshitari caught sight of Ohtori who was still playing the guitar. "Ok? I'm experiencing art."

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high, or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

Ohtori closed his eyes and let his instincts took over. 'Basic huh? Then I'll go back into tailing him and offering him my unwanted presence then. Ryoma…I'll keep on hounding you for the rest of my life if that's what it takes to make you mine again.'

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_And maybe, I'll find out_

_The way to make it back someday_

_To watch you, to guide you_

_Through the darkest of your days_

Ryoma grumpily sat on the bench as he cooled himself off after their laps. His eyes darkened when a shadow was cast upon him.

"You shouldn't be so grumpy," Sylvan spoke up.

"Look, I know you're just doing this to keep an eye on me—"Ryoma looked away as he popped a pair of ear phones into his ear.

_If a great wave shall fall_

_It would fall upon us all_

_Well then I hope there's someone out there_

_Who can bring me back to you?_

"You are the most selfish, self-centered, superficial bastard I've ever known, Ryoma Echizen." James snapped at him.

"Am I now?" Ryoma snorted.

Sylvan sighed and sat beside the brunette. "Look, it is true that part of this is to look after

You but you also have to realize that we're doing it for ourselves as well."

"We have to make choices once in our lives to know which path is destined for us. Who knows, maybe tennis can actually help us improve our abilities until we're mature enough to accept the fact that that the one we didn't choose was the right one for us." James added. He sat on Ryoma's unoccupied side and took the brunette's hand and held on to it.

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high, or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

"Che! And you are the most infuriating, exasperating, life-meddling morons I've met!" Ryoma sighed.

"Wow…that means we click." Sylvan drawled.

"Yeah." James agreed.

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It was not long after that Ohtori's audience grew from Gakuto and Oshitari to the entire regular line-up of Hyotei.

"Wow, he's really good," Jirou looked up dreamily at Ohtori.

"Stop gawking Jirou," Atobe snapped. "Ore-sama finds it disturbing."

_Runaway with my heart_

_Runaway with my hope_

_Runaway with my love_

Ohtori smiled at his senpai-tachi fingers softly caressed the strings. At one glance you could swear that the sophomore has been playing the guitar all his life. 'The music that we make together is the most beautiful in the world. It's not the one we create out of playing musical instruments but it is the rhythm, the melody is which our hearts beat until we've reach synchronism.' Ohtori smiled at the new resolve he found. 'I'm a part of Hyotei…and one from Hyotei is a quitter.'

_I know now, just quite how_

_My life and love might still go on_

_In your heart, in your mind_

_I'll stay with you for all of time_

Shishido smiled at his kohai, happy for having to see Ohtori smiling again. His face looks so much younger than the last few days. 'that's it Choutarou…you can make him yours once more as long as you hold on to that feeling you have for him. Don't let it go.'

Atobe stared coldly at the sophomore. 'Fine I'll give him to you. But once I've learned that you've hurt him in your own accord, I will never, ever forgive you.'

_If I could, then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high, or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

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"Hey, Ryuzaki-sensei said she'd want to see you guys in the court," Horio told the three.

"And who do you say this is?" James eyed Horio from head to foot.

"Oh he's Horio," Ryoma smirked. "He has two years of tennis experience."

Sylvan glared at the gawky freshman who in turn 'eeped and sped away. "Are you kidding me?"

"Come." Ryoma stood up and led the two.

_If I could turn back time_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_If I could make you mine_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

When they arrived at the court, Eiji was already waiting inside.

Ryoma eyed Tezuka questioningly and all he got was a curt nod.

"This will be a one-set match, a doubles game between Thorrington-Kikumaru pair and Echizen-Beauclaire' pair." Oishi announced.

Ryoma and Sylvan just stood there, frozen while James dropped his own racket.

"Seriously?!" the three chorused.

"Hoi, hoi let's go James-kun!" Eiji jumped in glee.

"Seriously!!"

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

A/N: nothing much…

I've given you a very brief background for the Unspeakables' relationship with Ryuzaki-sensei.

I'm really trying hard to make each chapter amazing but I'm really having a hard time since my schedule is full for the next 40 days or so. Stupid summer classes!!!!

Oh and my word for the day: Seriously!!!!

PLEASE MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	31. give it to me

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Give it to me". Timbaland (Feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake) does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate.. and I don't own Tipsy Roll. Got it from Hajime no Ippo.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (Sobs!).

P/S: I DON'T KNOW IF I DID A GREAT JOB IN PROTRAYING THE GAME. SO I'M JUST GIVING YOU WARNING...BUT I REALLY, REALLY HOPE YOU'LL LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

"You are so gonna regret this Kikumaru-senpai." Ryoma shook his head as he and Sylvan prepared for the match.

"Nya, you're so mean O'chibi." Eiji frowned.

James was unbelievably quiet on their side, with cute wrinkles forming on his forehead.

"James-kun, daijobou?" Eiji asked the blonde worriedly.

James sighed and tied his hair up. "I haven't played doubles with anyone else aside from Carlos. I'm not sure how great our team work would be."

Eiji smiled broadly. "It's ok James-kun! It'll be fun playing with someone new!"

His comment made James feel more miserable than it should cheer him up. "You don't understand Eiji-senpai," James stomped his feet. "What Sylvan said earlier was right. Ryoma could never play a decent doubles game with anyone else but him. Do you know why?"

Eiji stared at the two boys from the other side of the court. They were talking quietly while stretching. "No. you tell me."

"It's because Ryoma only plays doubles with Sylvan," James was starting to panic. "They know each other so well and they're so similar that they don't even have to use hand signals or eye contact to know what is inside each other's heads. And besides, Sylvan is a skilled swordsman and an acrobat. Match it with Ryoma's natural superiority in tennis, they compose the best, I'm saying _THE BEST_ doubles pair in US Junior Tennis scene that even the Griffey brothers were a no-match against them!" he whispered in outrage.

Kikumaru was amazed by the new information he got about their opponents. He stared at Ryoma and Sylvan intently. "Ne, James-kun but you always play against each other when Carlos was still alive right?"

James blinked a couple of times before nodding.

"So this means that you know about their moves," Eiji smiled at him.

"Yeah," James replied.

"Then we'll be just fine!" Eiji glomped him. "Ryoma once said that you are the best soccer player in you level so I believe that you will be able to do this."

James smiled. "Yeah…I think we can do this."

"One-set match: Kikumaru-Thorrington pair vs. Echizen-Beauclaire' pair!"

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"Anata, are you sure it's alright to leave the three unattended?" Rinko asked her husband for the 6th time. The other kids were busy touring Tokyo while the parents were left to tend to their businesses.

"Rinko, they won't mature that much if you keep treating them like babies," Florenz muttered without even looking up from the documents he's reading. "They need to experience more freedom if we're to leave them here with you."

"He's right you know." Warren mumbled as he popped more nuts into his mouth as he and his wife went through the reports from their Tokyo-based branch of Blitz.

"Ryoma will take care of them," Nanjiroh mumbled as he placed some modification of the new design plan for the restaurant.

"He always had ever since they were young," Estelle added when she appeared carrying more refreshment for them.

"But with RJ's expansion, I still don't think it's wise to—"Rinko sighed.

"They can do it. Remember that they ran their own money-lending business in Chilton without consult or problems for four years," Rodrigo told her. "You need to trust them more."

"Very true Anata," Nanjiroh yawned, "you shouldn't always think that those three can brew disaster almost anytime."

potpotpot

Everyone stood gaping at Ryoma and Sylvan ever since the game started. Those who knew Echizen were stunned by the prowess their O'chibi was showing in the game. He's never played a doubles game this good with anyone else. Even Tezuka was entranced by the way the two moved in perfect unison, never imagining his ex-boyfriend to have a thing for acrobatic tennis.

"If Sylvan and James could successfully become a part of our tennis club, we'll be one of the strongest team not only in Kantou but probably in Japan." Oishi muttered as Sylvan returned Eiji's Kikumaru beam with ease.

"Even if this is a one-sided game, James is showing great potential." Inui muttered while scribbling in his book.

"He's not even panting for Christ's sake." Kaidou added.

"James is a soccer player and endurance game is his forte'. He also has amazing jumping power." Fuji added.

"But look at Sylvan as well." Momo muttered.

Horio gasped. "Why is he holding his racket that way?"

"Holding your racket vertically positioned between your arm and your trunk looks like a preparatory stance for a Chinese sword skill." Inui replied. "And notice also how he flexes his joints as he moves. The racket movement is very fast yet very sharp and precise."

"He's the youngest Wushu grandmaster ever hailed in Chilton. His movements are light yet deadly." Ryuzaki-sensei added. Ryoma just finished doing Drive B as he spoke.

"Game won by Echizen-Beauclaire' pair, 3 games to 0!"

Kikumaru brushed the sweat of his forehead. 'Dang it! I never thought they'd be this good!' he mentally whined. "What the—"he spat when he saw Ryoma stood right in front of Sylvan.

"Australian formation…" the freshman trio muttered.

James rolled up his sleeves. "Be careful Kikumaru-senpai! It's not an ordinary Australian Formation!" the moment that the words came out of his mouth, Ryoma and Sylvan started to sway their bodies side to side, akin to what Kaidou would usually do during his "Snake Mode" yet gaining acceleration per second.

Ryoma's eyes narrowed in concentration. 'The last time that I had this much fun in doubles was when I gave Crammer my parting gift.'

"What the hell is that?!" Momo cried.

"It's the Tipsy Roll." Ryuzaki-sensei gasped.

"Tipsy Roll? What is that?" Oishi asked.

Taka stepped forward and gripped the wire. "I know a move called Tipsy Roll in boxing. It is one of the most aggressive techniques in attacking where you sway your body left and right, forming a horizontal eight pattern while you give your opponent punches simultaneously. Your movement adds more power, momentum and speed to your punches. I don't know it could be used in tennis."

"We'll see how they'll do it." Fuji said. He opened his eyes so that he would not miss anything.

"I cannot believe what I'm seeing." Kaidou hissed. "How come the brat can play doubles like this?"

"His relationship with Sylvan is far deeper than you expected," Ryuzaki-sensei spoke up. "He's like Ryoma's twin brother. Ryoma placed all his trust on Sylvan, knowing that the boy will always be there to cover his back thus giving him the opportunity to let all his inhibitions do and let his natural gift in tennis flourish."

James on the other hand started doing the Split Step.

"You know that one too?!" Eiji gasped. He was preparing to serve when James started doing Ryoma's famed footwork.

"We have to be very fast Kikumaru-senpai." James said. He gripped his racket harder as Ryoma and Sylvan increased the speed of their swaying. "This is the one of the reasons why they remain undefeated. Once the ball gets into play, their movement will not only distract you from determining who will hit the ball but this will be very high-speed as well. It looks like an impenetrable wall."

Kikumaru nodded. "It's ok James-kun. We'll play this game eight against two." He released the ball and placed it in play.

Ryoma's body swerved to the right so fast that they didn't know it was Sylvan who returned the shot. The ball landed on the opposite side even before Kikumaru and James could react.

"15-0!"

"I told you." James muttered.

"It's ok James-kun." Eiji said. James gave him a sideway glance. "It's time that we take a point from them."

James nodded and started flexing his knees.

"He's preparing." Ryoma muttered to Sylvan. The bespectacled boy nodded.

"We better make sure we cover our blind spots." Sylvan replied. "James has a knack of hitting into the places we could never expect."

Eiji served once more and this time he was moving too fast that it almost looked like there's seven Eiji on the court. Ryoma tried to hit the ball into the corner but was surprised that James appeared right above him and smashed the ball towards Sylvan. The boy was taken by surprise and had to lob the ball by mistake.

"Sylvan!" Ryoma cried when James jumped so high and so fast and smashed the ball in an odd manner. The ball hit the ground where Sylvan was already in position to hit it with a Rising shot but the ball remained spinning in circles until it finally rolled backwards.

"15-15!"

"What was that?!" people who were watching muttered as confusion and amazement took them. It happened so fast that only a very few saw what really happened.

"He smashed the ball using the rim of his racket." Fuji recounted what he saw. "It gave the ball an abnormally high-speed spin and vibration which caused it to spin in circles until it exhausted its spin power and rolled backwards."

"But wasn't the ball supposed to bounce?" Oishi asked.

Tezuka pushed back his glasses. "The move is very similar to Kevin Smith's Illusion."

"Sugoi!!!" the crowd cheered to the blonde kid.

"Kakkoi James-kun!!!!!" Eiji glomped his partner who was still in a daze.

"Nice shot James." Ryoma smiled at him.

"I never thought you could perfect that one." Sylvan added.

James snapped out of his trance and flashed them a big smile. "Of course I do!" he boasted. "I wouldn't be James Royd Thorrington if I couldn't."

"AHHHHH!!!! THEY'RE SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A bunch of girls huddled together on the other side of the fence shrieked.

"See?" James flamboyantly flipped his blonde tresses and smiled at the crowd. "They already love me."

"All hail the king of narcissists." Sylvan muttered in disgust.

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Yukimura just got off the phone with his dad and smiled at his regulars.

"Well?" Marui asked.

"Dad said that he'll treat us all tonight!" the handsome captain announced, causing Kirihara, Niou and Marui to erupt in cheers.

"Are you sure about this Seiichi?" Sanada asked.

The Rikkai captain smiled innocently at his vice-captain. "Of course."

"I have a feeling that he has some hidden agenda." Yanagi muttered to Sanada when Yukimura was out of earshot.

"I know." the "Rock Emperor" whispered back.

potpotpot

"Father is being generous today." Atobe announced during lunchtime. "He is going to spend the night with us, just the regulars, in one of Tokyo's popular dinner establishments."

"Really?" his teammates asked.

"Of course. He said he's been wanting to check out the place himself." Atobe checked his nails. "He'll try and get Mother to come with us."

Silence grew like a balloon waiting to pop.

"Wow…a treat from the great Atobe Sr. himself." Gakuto muttered.

"You should be much honored that Ore-sama's family will spend a night with you." Atobe gave each of them scrutinizing glances.

"Where are we off to?" Shishido asked. He gave Ohtori a knowing glance and the sophomore gave him a shrug in return.

"I still don't know. Father said it's a surprise." Atobe frowned. "And he said we should all dress up casually, not the casual-casual but plain casual. He even said it'd be better if we go for Tahitian or Hawaiian motif. Eww!"

"Hmmm…what place would that be?" Jiroh muttered.

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

All the Seigaku regulars chose to stay at Kawamura's that afternoon to give Sylvan and James the chance to get to know more people.

"Wow…I mean I'm actually impressed Kawamura-san." James told Kawamura's father.

The old man just laughed and blushed silly. "I don't get many compliments from foreigners so I feel very, very flattered." The whole room erupted in laughter.

"James-kun and Sylvan-kun are staying for good, Kawamura-san." Eiji cheered.

Sylvan was quietly eating his sushi beside Ryoma when Momo sat beside him and stole one of his uni sushi. The blue-haired boy just stared quietly at his future senpai who was happily munching his way through his sushi.

"So you're like the quiet type right?" Momo mumbled. "Means you're very much alike Tezuka-buchou or Sanada from Rikkai."

Ryoma met Sylvan's gaze. Sylvan remained quiet.

"So it means you like classical and traditional stuff too?" Horio added. "You know, classical music, reading novels, tea ceremonies…" he trailed off when Ryoma accidentally swallowed his sushi whole. Oishi had to hit his back a couple of times to stop him from choking.

"Did Horio say something wrong?" Fuji asked. Sylvan raised his eyebrow before standing up with his plate.

"Pardon me but it is punk, alternative rock with a pinch of hip-hop." Sylvan glanced back to them. "I don't dig that classical shit." He then went to the counter to get his plate personally refilled by Taka-san (Kawamura Jr.)

"He's a bit disrespectful." Kaidou hissed.

"It's ok Kaidou." Inui said. "It is very normal for kids from US to say such things."

"But if he doesn't like classical, who does?" Eiji asked.

"I do." James raised his hands. "Sylvan and his high-tech mumbo jumbo cannot appreciate the beauty of the classics."

"Fuck off. Remember that you just lost miserably twenty minutes ago." Sylvan snapped at him.

James paled at the comment. "Make me, you arrogant, stoic bastard..." James shot back.

"Why you?!" Sylvan gritted his teeth.

"Enough." Ryoma's voice boomed inside the shop. "One more word of you two will mean time out!"

"Idiot." James scoffed.

"Loser." Sylvan muttered back.

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"Tell me, why are we here again?" Momo sweat-dropped as they scanned the scene in front of them. James became so fond of them that he had invited all of them for a free night at Island Cove.

Oishi anxiously wiped the sweat of his forehead at then came face to face with Hyotei.

"Oh so plebeians like you dig this place as well." Atobe remarked. Tezuka gave the Hyotei captain a warning glance. The diva just flipped his hair off his shoulders and leered. "My father is here with us. It seems that he's interested with the ones running this place."

As he was speaking Ohtori was busy craning his neck, scanning for any sign of Ryoma.

"Aherm."

They turned around and saw Rikkai came up behind them.

"Wow isn't this fate or what." Yukimura commented. "Good evening, Tezuka, Atobe."

They could feel the tension string between them was being stretched to its limit.

"Now what are you doing out here?" James sashayed towards them, looking very alluring in his white sleeveless shirt and pants. "Ryoma's bar-tending while Sylvan DJ's."

"Hi James-kun!" they greeted the boy.

"Oh pooh!!!" James shook his head. "Get inside already."

They followed the blonde boy inside and were astonished by the cool reggae sounds resonating from the stage.

They all wormed their way in as the crowd continued to grow by the second. They were glad that tables were already saved for them near the stage.

"It's amazing isn't it?!" James had to yell to get through the noise.

"There are a lot of people coming in here." Yukimura cried back.

"I know!" James smiled and disappeared through the crowd.

"May I have your orders please?"

They turned around and were shocked to see Yuuta holding a pad.

"So this is where you go to every night." Fuji has his eyes opened and was staring down at his brother.

"I get to see free concerts and earn cash." Yuuta replied defensively.

Atobe snorted at his predicament with earned him a glare from Fuji.

"Uh where is Ryoma?" Ohtori suddenly asked. The rest stared at him as Yuuta struggled with the answer.

"He's-"

"Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you!" James reappeared. "Go get their orders. It'll pile up soon and I want Ryoma to be the one doing their drinks."

"Whatever." Yuuta muttered. He turned to his senpai-tachi and forced out a smile. "What will it be?"

The rest struggled to suppress their chuckles as Fuji, Atobe, Yukimura and Niou ordered for them.

After giving their orders, the fell into an awkward silence despite the hype ambiance.

"So…" Niou started.

"You know, James-kun and Sylvan-kun are joining our tennis club next year!" Eiji announced.

"Really?!" all non-Seigaku regular gasped.

"Yup!" Momo added. "And they rock! I mean for someone who don't usually play tennis."

"So Kirihara's bound to face off with his boyfriend in the future." Yanagi muttered.

"Maybe not." Momo said.

"How come?" Gakuto asked.

Tezuka remained quiet all throughout the conversation.

"Because he only plays exclusively for doubles…" Oishi answered. "Or so we thought... but he and Echizen form the best doubles pair I've ever seen in my entire tennis career."

"What a drag!" Jirou pouted. Soon Kirihara and Yuuta brought their drinks over to their table.

"21 Blue Crash for table 11, 12 ad 10." The brunette announced and laid out the glasses.

"Domo!" they replied to the brunette.

"Ok general rule, once the lights go ecstatic please carry your drinks. You might not know what'll hit you once the "Rave Raze" starts." Yuuta told them.

"What's a Rave Raze?" they innocently asked.

"I have no idea but I think it has something to do with being responsible for your glass wares to avoid breakage." Kirihara told them. Just as he was finished speaking the lights dimmed and strobe lights danced across the club.

"Whose idea is it?" Tezuka finally spoke up.

"Theirs." The two replied in unison.

"I think that signals It." they heard Jackal muttered, making him audible enough to be heard as the crowd grew silent.

_Is it going? Is it going?_

_Is it going? Is it going?_

_I don't know.. What you're lookin' for_

The lights all came to focus at the bar wherein in James was standing, holding a microphone as everyone erupted in cheers. A hip beat was emanating from the sound system this time.

"Damn he's sexy." Jirou hooted when the crowd started to get wild.

"I know." Yuuta eyed the blonde. 'I know.'

_I'm the type of boy to look you dead in the eye-eye_

_I realize when it come to it you don't realize why I'm fly-y-y_

James started moving his hips to the beat as he sang the first part of the song. Most of the crowd stood up, with their drinks in hand and started to dance along with the blonde kid. Yuuta and the others just stood gaping at him while he danced on the table.

"Ohh table dancing!!!!" Warren cheered along with the customers. "That's my Firefly!"

Florenz and the rest just shook their head in disbelief.

"Really Janet," Cassandra leered. "You husband needs to act his age."

Janet Thorrington just smiled. "Let him be. This has not happened in two years. I think its best that I cut both of them some slack."

_Seen you tryna switch it up but boy you ain't that dope_

_I'm Wonder Woman's son, let me go get my rope_

James strutted on the tables until he stood on Rikkai's table and dipped his hips real low.

"Is that your son?" Atobe's father asked Nanjiroh.

"Oh no." Nanjiroh shook his head. "But he's a part of my family none the less."

_I'm a supermodel and mami, see mami_

_Amnesty International got Bangkok to Montoc on lock_

James winked at Yuuta then jumped off the table to sashay towards the dance floor. 'I've never had this so much fun since Ryoma's farewell party two years ago!' he twirled and swayed his body to the music.

"Did he just wink at you?" Kirihara nudged the younger Fuji.

"He did?" Fuji asked and gave Yuuta a questioning glare.

"What?!" the poor boy protested.

_Love my ass, love my abs in the video of "Promiscous"_

_My style is ri-dic-dic-diculous, 'diculous, 'diculous_

"Wow, at least he has a pleasing personality." Niou muttered at he stared at James' ass. Yagyuu saw this and smacked his boyfriend.

"Quit that."

"Itai!" Niou rubbed the sore part of his head.

"But he's really good though." Jirou muttered. "Not as good as Ryoma but he's ok."

_If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice_

_If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night_

_We ain't hear to hurt nobody_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

_Wanna see you work your body_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

The lights danced before they all focused on the DJ booth and out jumped Sylvan in leather pants and tight-fitting shirt.

Kirihara swallowed hard upon the sight of the blue-haired boy.

_When Timbo is in the party, everybody put up they hands_

_I get a half a mil' for my beats, you get a couple gra-an-and_

_Never gon' see the day that I ain't got the upper hand_

_I'm respected from Californ-I-A, all the way down to Japan_

Sylvan sauntered and stood beside James. All the time he has his eyes plastered on Kirihara who stood as stiff as a rock. Sylvan gave him a wink and was please to see the effect on his boyfriend. The rest of the clubbers were already dancing wildly to their song.

"Oi you ok?" Oishi asked Kirihara worriedly.

"Uh…" the Rikkai ace was still in a trance.

"You better pour down ice water on his or else he'll get a hard on." Momo commented while his eyes are glued on the blue-haired boy.

"Momo!" Tezuka swatted his head.

"Itai!" the sophomore cried.

_I'm a real producer and you just a piano man_

_Your songs don't top the charts, I heard 'em, I'm not a fa-an-an_

_Niggas talkin' greasy, I'm the one that gave them they chance_

_Somebody needs to tell them that they can't do it like I can_

With all the mayhem and dancing, Ohtori just stood there still wasn't interested at the two at all. All that matters to him was seeing Ryoma. 'Dang it Ryoma where are you? Are you trying to hide from me?'

"Wow, you're sons have real talent." Yukimura's dad commented.

"I said, they're not my sons." Nanjiroh pointed out, getting annoyed.

Atobe's father scoffed. "I wonder how it will look when we gather all of them in some sort of a send off party for the graduating students."

Warren suddenly appeared behind the group. "You think so?! Wow! We're like thinking along the same lines!"

_If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice_

_If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night_

_We ain't hear to hurt nobody_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

_Wanna see you work your body_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

The lights dimmed for a few seconds and everybody held their breath as they waited for more. Soon everybody's prayers, especially Ohtori's ware answered when the lights focused on the bar where the most-wanted brunette stood wearing a hooded grey jacket.

_Could you speak up and stop mu-mumbling, I don't think you came in clear_

_When you're sittin' on the top, it's hard to hear you from way up here_

The moment Ryoma sang the club erupted in cheers. It seems like they've got what they've been waiting for.

"I didn't imagine he'll be this famous here!!!!" Marui cried. He was busy dancing that he didn't realize that he already had stepped on Tezuka's foot.

"I know!!!!" bespectacled captain growled in return.

"Damn he's sexy as hell." Atobe muttered under his breath.

"Atobe…" Shishido gave the diva a warning glance.

"Quit it alright?!" Atobe snarled at the capped boy.

_I saw you tryin' to act cute on TV, "Just let me clear the air..."_

_We missed you on the charts last week, damn, that's right you wasn't there_

The freshman sashayed on top of the tables and moved gracefully until he reach Seigaku's table. He's expression didn't change when he saw them but his eyes sparkled differently when it caught glance of Ohtori.

"So you're planning to have a party for the players here in my club?" Nanjiroh stared at the in disbelief.

"I know that the kids will really appreciate it." Yukimura's dad replied.

"If you're worried of the expenses, don't worry." Atobe's father smirked. "I'll take care of it."

"Oh pooh!" Warren made a face. "That's not a problem at all!"

Nanjiroh caught sight of his son and pouted. 'You're so gonna kill me for this, Shounen.'

_If se-sexy never left, then why's everybpdy on my shi-it-it_

_Don't hate on me just because you didn't come up with it_

_So if you see us in the club, go on and walk the other way_

_Cause our run will never be over, not at least until we say_

He jumped off the table gave Ohtori a little bit of dirty dancing before leaving the boy perturbed to join his friends in the dance floor. 'that was fun.'

"Now that was one naughty, nasty kid." Yanagi muttered.

"He's playful by nature." Inui told him.

"Fshuu somebody hose this boy down with ice water." Kaidou motioned to Ohtori who was still in a daze after Ryoma bumped and ground against him.

Ryoma gave Sylvan and James high-fives before getting into formation for their dance. He was standing right in the middle as they moved in unison.

_If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice_

_If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night_

_We ain't hear to hurt nobody_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

_Wanna see you work your body_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

The club was almost in shambles the rest of the FB kids decided to join the dancing on center stage.

_If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice_

_If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night_

_We ain't hear to hurt nobody_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

_Wanna see you work your body_

_(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)_

Everybody gave one last shout out after the performance before they got back to their seats.

"That is one way to rock someone's world!" Gakuto said breathlessly.

"I never thought it'll be this hyper in this place." Oshitari added.

Ohtori was calming sipping his drink but his hazel eyes never left Ryoma's. 'You are one evil person Ryoma Echizen. You know what kind of effect you have on me.' Ohtori sighed in dismay. 'When will we stop playing games and finally realize that we're not meant to be apart, just staring at each other longingly from afar?'

Ryoma caught Ohtori's eyes and felt his heart skipped a beat. His smile soon faded away as the bloody image of Ohtori flashed in his head. 'I'm sorry Choutarou. I'm destined to me in sorrow, wrapped in illusion.' He struggled to pry from the heated gaze. 'I'm hidden under a pile of pain and anger. I'm eaten wholly by my frustrations.'

Fuji and Sylvan didn't miss the exchange. The two then caught each other's eyes and gave each other knowing glances. 'But despite all that he's still waiting for him to dig him up from the mess he is in.'

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A/N: not bad for someone who's enduring each day of gruesome Organic Chemistry lectures, boring Health Education discussions and nerve-wracking Nursing Care Management classes. sighs" I'm almost there…I'm near the end…I hope you'll still continue supporting me.

I made Atobe's dad a bit nicer than his son. I don't know why I did…honestly.


	32. heaven knows how bitter i am

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Heaven knows". Orange and Lemons does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics and _**bold italics**_ for duets. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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And so it was set. Ryoma was called to Ryuzaki's office the next morning for reasons unknown.

"Sensei, what is this about?" Ryoma asked. He adjusted his cap and stretched back lazily on the chair.

"Mind your manners Ryoma," Ryuzaki said sternly. "You know about the Tribute Night, am I correct?" she gave the boy a calculating look.

"Yeah, so?" Ryoma titled his head a little to meet his coach's glare.

"Here's the thing," Ryuzaki stood up and started pacing. "The organizers think that this is a mere send-off for the seniors. The seniors think that this is a farewell party…"

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Sakaki gave Ohtori a stern look. "…to the juniors this is a tribute to the seniors but you…" he paused.

"Yes sensei?" Ohtori asked promptly. He could feel his heart beat racing every time Sakaki-sensei gives him the "look".

"But you know more. This is also a tribute for the parents. No one else is to know anything." Sakaki-sensei leaned on the table. "Do you understand?"

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"Hai, Ryuzaki-sensei," Ryoma yawned. He stood up and was about to step out of her office when…

"Oh one moment!" Ryuzaki fumbled into her desk then handed the boy pieces of music sheets. "Study the song."

Ryoma took the music sheets and studied them for a few seconds. Then big brown eyes started up in confusion at the coach. "But this is for a duet."

"I know," Ryuzaki nodded. "Yours is the 2nd voice of the female part."

Ryoma blinked a couple of times before the words registered fully in his mind. "Female part?!"

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"But Sakaki-sensei isn't it a bit difficult to learn a song all by yourself when it is intended to be sung with somebody else?" Ohtori stared in disbelief at his coach. 'He's a music teacher for heaven's sake!'

"It's easy, Ohtori-kun especially that you're part which is the original. The female's part was just placed. This song is meant to be sung by one person only." Sakaki scoffed.

"But who'll be my partner?" Ohtori asked.

"I don't know," Sakaki-sensei shrugged. "Maybe someone from Rikkai or Jyousei. You will know who your partner is by the time you're to sing the song already."

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"This is ridiculous!" Ryoma cried.

"You'll do this or you will not be aloud to play in the Nationals." Ryuzaki glared at him. "You choose."

Ryoma held his coach's gaze in a glaring contest but soon sighed and hung his head low. "Fine."

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Atobe glared at the bickering third years in front of him. Only Tezuka, Yukimura and him were not meddling in the argument.

"I told you it should be hip hop!" Jiroh insisted.

"No, Pop!!!!" Wakato cried.

"I think it should be Jazz!" Mizuki cut in.

They were all gathered in Atobe's mansion to prepare for their tribute.

"Tennis practice is way better than this." Tezuka muttered under his breath.

"Yeah. Everyone wants to have their own act," Yukimura sighed. "We're only given 6-7 minutes for the performance."

There was a crash and soon Shishido and Niou were engaged in a heated argument.

"If they don't quit that in ten seconds, I'll be the one who'll choose the song and you won't like what I'll choose." Atobe crossed his arms on his chest.

"Tezuka, we need help here!" Oishi cried.

The situation was rating high on the emergency and chaos meter. They were too preoccupied with what was happening that no one noticed a certain brunette came in.

"My, I never thought my senpai-tachi could act so immature." Ryoma drawled. He dropped his bag on the floor and strutted towards the stereo.

Everybody eyed him like he's a lab rat.

"What are you doing here, Echizen?" Tezuka asked. The freshman just shrugged.

"Let me guess, someone thought you were some angel and sent you here to fix this mess?" Eiji glomped the freshman.

"Itai!" Ryoma gasped.

"Eiji!" Oishi reprimanded his doubles partner.

Ryoma pulled down his cap and smirked. "I was sent here to help you with your problem." The third years cheered at his announcement. Fuji, on the other hand, was busy exchanging sms with his brother.

(Where are you?) Fuji gave Ryoma a sideward glance. His phone vibrated, indicating Yuuta's reply.

(Practicing with the other underclassmen.)

Fuji frowned a little. And typed, (then why is Echizen here?) he stared at the freshman who was conversing with Saeki that moment.

(Isn't it obvious? Ohtori's here too Aniki.)

Fuji sighed and tanked his brother. He hid his phone and walked purposely towards O'chibi.

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Ohtori stared at the crowd sadly. When he heard of the news about the rehearsals, he was ecstatic since it'll mean he'll be with Ryoma but when he arrived at the venue, Ryoma was never found.

"Hey."

Ohtori turned around, only to see Sylvan's stern face. "Hi, Sylvan-kun," he greeted timidly. The boy said nothing but simply sat next to him. They grew silent as the seconds pass by like eternity.

"So—"the two started speaking at the same time. Sylvan stared at the sophomore and vice versa.

"You go ahead." Ohtori smiled awkwardly.

Sylvan cleared his throat. "So you're Ohtori Choutarou, Ryo's ex-boyfriend." He eyed the boy carefully.

Ohtori's smile wavered when he heard the word "ex-boyfriend". He took a deep breath before meeting Sylvan's piercing grey eyes. "It's not like I planned to be in that position."

"But you betrayed him," Sylvan pressed in. 'Ryo's been pining like a girl over you. I need to know why he acts that way.'

Ohtori was prepared for this. He's been preparing for this for ages. "It's not like I meant to. I hate to admit it but we're mere victims of an evil twist of fate."

"A victim of fate or not, you still can't change the fact that he got hurt." Sylvan snapped at him.

Ohtori smiled sadly. "Don't you think I am hurting as well especially when I've learned that Ryoma hid Carlos and their past from me?"

Sylvan blinked back the surprise. He didn't expect that coming from Ohtori. "Who did—"

"Rinko-baa-san told me," Ohtori sighed. "If I've been a shallow person like Tezuka, I would've left in a blink of an eye but I didn't. Sometimes I ask myself why but the only answer I get is that I love him."

Sylvan stared at the sophomore in amazement.

"You don't know how sorry I am for what happened. If I could only go back in time and stop that kiss, I would. But I can't," he smiled at the bespectacled boy. "You might think I'm deluded or something and I don't care. Being with Ryoma gave a new meaning to my life. I couldn't imagine a day without him beside me."

"But you are apart now." Sylvan pointed out.

"I know," Ohtori glued his eyes on the ground to keep the boy from noticing the tears welling up his eyes. "And it's so hard, Sylvan. It's really hard waking every morning realizing that the person you cherished the most is gone."

"I'm sorry," Sylvan muttered. "I'm sorry for judging your character right away." Steely-grey eyes softened into brown ones. "Ryo is more than a friend to me. He's my brother. I had seen enough of his suffering and I really don't like watching him hurt himself this way." He got up onto his feet.

"Sylvan-kun…"

Sylvan gave Ohtori one last glance. "He still loves you, Ohtori-sempai. I think he's just too hurt and too proud to admit that to you."

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The third years were finally able to cooperate and start their dance number. Ryoma didn't have much difficulty in teaching them the step however, iron rods such as Inui, Sanada, Oishi and Taka gave him more than a minute of headache.

"Nya Oishi you're so good!!!!" Eiji squealed when Oishi finally got the steps.

They continued practicing until they're done with the whole song. Ryoma called it a day and sent everyone packing.

Ryoma was packing his things when a hand tapped his shoulders. He looked up and met Tezuka's eyes.

"You think you could spare me a minute?" the bespectacled buchou asked. Ryoma could sense the guilt in his voice. The boy took a deep breath and zipped his bag.

"Fine." With this, the two walked out of room with everyone's eyes trailing them.

"Hey," Yukimura nudged Fuji. The tensai smiled bitterly at the handsome boy. "Are you ok?"

Fuji sighed as the footsteps died. "Yeah, I'm ok." He zipped his bag with a little more force than needed. 'What are you trying to pull off now Kunimitsu?'

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Ryoma stood there, gaping at the scene before him. Tezuka Kunimitsu, as in THE Tezuka Kunimitsu, was kneeling and bowing low to the ground in front of him.

"Bu-"

"Gomen nasai, Echizen Ryoma," Tezuka said. "I know that I've gravely hurt you and I know that you might probably hate me for the rest of your life but I'm taking this opportunity now to ask for you forgiveness."

Ryoma sighed. "Stand up Buchou."

Tezuka looked up to him, eyes shining with tears.

"I may not have the ability to forget what happened in a snap of my fingers but I think I've been raised up well to accept someone's sincere apology," Ryoma pulled down his cap to block his eyes from the captain. He turned and started walking away from the captain. "But I think you better do the same thing with Fuji-senpai. You've been utterly unfair to him."

Tezuka got into his feet and couldn't help but smile. 'Arigatou Ryoma. I could find the right words to express my gratitude to you.'

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Ryoma had gone back inside Atobe's house to get his things when a hand snatched him and lead him in an empty room. The freshman couldn't help but glare at the culprit.

"What is it now, Fuji-senpai?" Ryoma snapped at the tensai. "You want to know what your ex-boyfriend told me?"

Fuji opened his eyes to show Ryoma that he's not joking around. "We're not here to talk about me but about you."

One perfect eyebrow arched up. "Oh really?"

"Yuuta said you skipped your own practice to come here," Fuji started to walk around the boy. "Tell me, are you really this hard-headed or what?"

"What are you talking about?" Ryoma protested.

"You're still in love with Ohtori and yet you're stubbornly pushing him away!" Fuji sighed. "What are you waiting for? Have him in all fours and make him crawl to you and beg for your forgiveness?"

Ryoma's narrowed. "Excuse me but as far as I can remember I didn't give you any right to meddle with my life." Ryoma's glare intensified. 'How dare he?!'

Fuji sighed in frustration as he grabbed the boy's shoulders and shook him hard. "What's going on with you?! Ohtori loves you. You love him. Why are you making things so complicated?!"

It took a few minutes before Ryoma could react. "It's not like I want it to be complicated." Golden brown eyes blinked back the pain. "No matter what I do I couldn't change what had occurred. Do you really think I just want him out of my life? This is for the best—"

"Best?!" Fuji was trying to regain his control. He took a couple of deep breaths. "You don't know what's best for the both of you Echizen. Don't you think you're being a little selfish here by deciding your relationship's fate on your own? You and Ohtori started this. Isn't it best if you try and do this together?"

Ryoma was out of words. His mind was going a mile a second for trying to think of a good rebuttal. What he didn't expect was the words that came out of his mouth. "I had a dream."

"What?" Fuji snapped out of his gung-ho mode.

Ryoma bit back his tongue. 'Baka Ryoma! Baka, baka, baka! How could you slip like that?!' his eyes fluttered as he tried to look for an alibi.

"What dream?" Fuji asked again.

'Uh-oh…too late.' Ryoma sighed. "I'm been having dreams, alright! I've been having it ever since Senbatsu camp. I kept on replaying Carlos' death in my sleep. The difference is…"

"Is what?" Fuji prompted. He met Ryoma's eyes and was perturbed at the fear emanating from those golden orbs.

"T-the difference is Choutarou's the one who ends up dead instead of Carlos." Ryoma clenched his fists. "Now you tell me that what I'm doing is still not for his own safety." And with this, the boy stormed out of the room.

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Ryoma left the mansion incognito. He didn't even bother retrieving his bag from the dance hall. He was just lucky to have had his wallet and cell phone inside his pocket. He hopped on the first bus he saw and thanked the heavens for being on the right bus when he finally had the heart to ask its destination.

He slumped on the seat when fatigue finally caught up on him. 'Does he really think that I enjoy being apart from Choutarou? He doesn't know how hard it is for me to pretend that I don't care when in fact all I wanted to do is fling my idiotic self back into his arms and cling to him forever.' Ryoma swallowed hard as he tried his best to hold the tears back. 'I'm keeping Choutarou safe. I don't know what my dreams meant but if it is close enough to losing Choutarou for real then I'm not thinking twice.'

He gazed the fleeting images on the window. 'As I had said before, I'll be content in watching and loving him from afar…'

The bus pulled into a stop and Ryoma got off as well. He walked briskly through the busy Shibuya district until he reached Clariel Hotel where Rayver was holding his photo exhibit.

He aimlessly walked along the elegant hall of the hotel when…

"There you are Gummy Bear," Rayver placed an arm around the boy. "Let's go show that world the beauty of your innocence ok?"

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"Why are you rounding us up?" Kajimoto asked Atobe when his private bus arrived.

"James-kun called. He asked me if I want to go to a newly-opened photo gallery at Clariel Hotel and I said yes. He said he's taking the underclassmen there too." The diva replied. The rest followed without complains.

Meanwhile, Yukimura pulled Fuji aside.

"Where is he?"

Fuji sighed. "No idea. You don't know how hard it is to get through that kid's brain and heart."

Yukimura shook his head. "That's a big problem, I see."

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James and Sylvan ushered the underclassmen inside the hotel however they're to wait for the seniors before they could go to the gallery. Their long wait was over then Atobe's bus arrived.

"Finally!" James snorted.

"Gomen!" the seniors apologized.

"I had to make sure that everything's ready if ever I want to purchase something." Atobe retorted. Sparks fly out between the two divas.

"The photos are not for sale, Atobe-kun." Rayver spoke up. It turns out that he's been watching them from afar.

"Not for sale?!" Atobe gasped. "Impossible!!!!"

"You'll find out why." Sylvan muttered as they ushered the players into the gallery.

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Ryoma was scowling like there's no tomorrow as he watch each guest fawned over the photos. 'Our photos! My photos!' he was standing by the corner, his glare scaring almost everyone who's trying to get his autograph. 'This is high-level harassment. I better start thinking of a good revenge for this.'

"Welcome to my exhibit! The theme is "Innocence… Encompassing… Ethereal." Ryoma snapped out from his death mode when he heard familiar voices. "My main models are here with me, Sylvan Beauclaire' my little brother, James Royd Thorrington, the late Juan Carlos De Vera and Echizen Ryoma."

Ohtori's eyes widened as he scanned the pictures surrounding him. In every picture Ryoma was there, in different outfits portraying a different personality. 'He's beautiful!'

"Now feel free to explore!" With this, the jovial blonde man left. The gallery was divided into five mainly: Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Life. The Earth section contains mostly of Sylvan's photos. The Air section belonged to James. The Water second was Carlos' and Fire belonged to Ryoma. In the center of the gallery, LIFE section contained random picture, mostly group pictures of the four kids.

"Sugoi!!!!! Is this really you Sylvan-kun?" they heard Eiji shrieked. "Sexy!!!!"

"I think they've found the picture of yours where you were half-naked," James muttered to his friend. Eiji's shriek was followed by cries from Kirihara. "Oh yeah. I think they did." Ryoma huffed and turned his back on the commotion.

Ohtori walked straight into the FIRE section and was astounded to see so many photos of Ryoma. There was one where the freshman was perched up in a tree branch wearing white pants made of satin. The Ryoma is the picture was very different from the one he knew, the one he loves. Among the pictures, the one what caught his attention was the one where Ryoma was draped with black and white ribbons, a pair of black angel's wings adorned his back and was perched on a trapeze. The expression of his face was unexplainable. Ohtori felt his heart beat race faster. 'This angel has flown away from me and I'm not giving up until I have him in my arms again.'

"So this is Carlos," Yukimura muttered as they crowded in the WATER section. Every picture depicted an angel with soulful green eyes and fiery auburn locks. At first glance you'd mistake him for a girl but a closer look on his toned body will prove any looker wrong.

"His hair is amazing. His eyes are surreal. He's an epitome of youth and beauty." Gakuto muttered. "Now I know why Echizen fell in love with him." he was staring at a picture where in Ryoma's relatively petite body was enclosed in Carlos' tall frame while sleeping underneath an orange tree.

"It's a shame that such person is already dead." Oshitari added.

"Where's Atobe?" somebody asked.

Fuji chuckled and pointed at the FIRE section. "He's kinda busy right now." The tensai smiled. 'I hope he doesn't flood the gallery with his drool. Well, can't blame him. Every damn picture of Echizen here looks very delectable.'

Ryoma was determined to ignore everyone but his resolve started melting when Ohtori came into the view. The freshman felt a painful tug in his heart and a pang of guilt as he gazed at the one person he's been longing to see and to hold for a long time.

Ohtori caught glance of Ryoma and saw how the boy averted his gaze. The sophomore couldn't help but frown. 'I really want to believe that Sylvan was telling the truth. But how come you couldn't even look at me ever for a few seconds?' he felt a light tap on his shoulders and turned to Shishido smiling at him.

"Are you ok?" the senior asked.

Ohtori smiled sadly. "Well no but I'll be fine," With this, the sophomore followed his friend to look at more pictures.

Ryoma felt anger and jealousy brewing inside his stomach. He bit his lip hard to keep him from shooting his mouth off. 'This is what you wanted Ryoma. This is your decision.' He grimaced as his unspoken words tasted like bile in his mouth. 'I'm bitter alright but I have to prove to myself that I can. I'm making the biggest sacrifice I've ever had just to make sure everything's ok.'

He jerked his head when he heard the feedback of a microphone.

"Konnichiwa, minna-sama. We have refreshments here near the stage. Feel free to help yourself." Rayver announced. "I'm sad to say none of the photos are for sale since it's a personal collection. Even though I know I'd be making millions from selling them, I chose not to. I want to preserve the life and the youth of the memories captured by the picture for most of it can never be repeated. But do enjoy appreciating them for they bring back something that we adults have lost as the years go by."

The applause rang inside the gallery like thunderclaps.

"And now, to share to you their own talent in the art of music, I would like to call on my dear models up on stage." Rayver winked at Ryoma. "Thank you and enjoy."

Ryoma got rid of his scowl for he didn't want to upset Rayver. Sylvan and James met him half-way to the stage.

"Are you ok?" James whispered to Ryoma. The brunette just shrugged and sat in front of the piano. Sylvan wordlessly too the guitar while James positioned himself in front of the drums.

Ohtori could feel his heart beat pounding into his ears as he watched Ryoma up front. It has been so long since the brunette last played the piano in front of him. 'The last one was Atobe-buchou's party.' He caught Shishido's eyes and the senior just gave with an encouraging smile. His attention was diverted not long after when the faint music which Ryoma's fingers softly creates caressed his heart.

Ryoma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He signaled Sylvan and James to start.

_There are times when I'm lying in my bed_

_Hug my pillow and cry from this stupid game_

_And my eyes are like windshields on a rainy day_

Fuji shook his head and studied the freshman carefully. 'I'm running out of options on how to get the two of you back together. Damn Echizen, why do you have to be such a masochist?'

_Almost rubbed down, swelling, as I keep on_

_Dipping my face in these cold hands of mine_

_Heaven knows how bitter I am_

Ryoma finally relaxed and surrendered his soul to the song. 'I'm mad as hell but I don't know where or to whom I should blame this on. Why can't life be simple for me so that I could finally be happy?'

'_C__ause this angel has flown away from me_

_Leaving me in drunken misery_

_I should have clipped his wings and made him mine_

_For all eternity_

Ohtori froze when the meaning of the song finally dawned upon him. It was then that Ryoma's gaze felt upon him and the sophomore dared not to break their connection. 'Is this for me, Neko-chan? Is it?'

_Now this angel has flown away from me_

_Thought I had the strength to set him free_

_Did what I did because I love him so_

_Will he ever find his way back home to me_

_Aah__・_

Ryoma blinked back the tears that welled up in his eyes. 'No. I cannot let him see that I'm cracking up, that my defenses are weak. I need to be strong.' Ryoma placed more pressure on his fingers as they skimmed the keys.

Sylvan eyed his friend, sensing his distress. 'I want to do all I can to help you my friend. But I cannot do that if you don't help yourself first.'

'He's an idiot for doing this in the first place.' James frowned a little. 'But then again no one could blame him.

_I'm so tired, I feel like catching forty winks_

_Being up all night in this elbow room_

_That puts me in a trance_

_Where hopes and dreams come true_

Yukimura watched the scene with a bittersweet smile in his face. 'Oh how I wanted to be in Ohtori's position now. To have Ryoma look at me the way he looks at him now will mean more than happiness but completion.' He sighed. 'But then again, I'm not the one he loves in the first place.'

_Now my lips are burning and my eyes are hurting_

_From this fuse I mixed till I light another_

_Cigarette just to pass my time, oh_

_Heaven knows how bitter I am_

Ohtori felt a solitary tear trickled down his cheek. Everyone else aside from Ryoma and him disappeared from the picture. To him Ryoma stood there…and there alone. 'What will it take to right the wrong that I have done, Ryoma? I can see it in your eyes; you're hurting just like me. Is there anything that I can do to make everything alright?'

'I scared. I'll admit that I'm a coward.' Ryoma mused bitterly when he failed to break from their heated gaze. 'Heaven knows how much I want to be with you again and only heaven knows how much control it takes to keep myself from succumbing back to your warmth. '

'_C__ause this angel has flown away from me_

_Leaving me in drunken misery_

_I should have clipped his wings and made him mine_

_For all eternity_

'It is I Ryoma. I'm the angel you've let go.' Ohtori could feel his heart ready to burst out of his chest. 'And I'm ready to fly back to you, only if you would accept me.'

_Now this angel has flown away from me_

_Thought I had the strength to set him free_

_Did what I did because I love him so_

_Will he ever find him way back home to me_

_Aah__・_

'I did what I did because I love you so, Choutarou. And all I have left now are the memories we both shared and cherished. 'Ryoma finally let his emotions run free as he pried his eyes off Ohtori's. 'All I wanted was to keep you safe,' a tear finally trickled down his pale cheek. 'And for that I had to let the bitterness and pain consume me as consequences for my decisions.'

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Ryoma didn't even move an inch when Fuji dropped his bag on front of him.

"You're a coward Echizen Ryoma," Fuji said. He wanted to maul the boy and yet he couldn't find the strength to do so. "You think you're keeping him safe or happy but you're wrong. All that you're doing to him is back-firing and it is hurting him terribly. It is way different from what you have in mind."

The brunette chose to remain silent.

"He's right Ryo," James added. "You shouldn't let a couple of nightmares put an end to the bright future ahead of you."

"He still loves you Ryoma," Sylvan placed a comforting arm around his best friend. "All you need to do is let go of Carlos and give him another chance. Bear in mind that Choutarou is not Carlos. What happened to our dearly departed friend will not happen to him."

Ryoma didn't even bother hiding the tears in his cheeks. "I-I don't know h-how to start over…"

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A/N: I passed my midterms in Organic Chem!!!!! BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just to let you guys know, I'm trying my best not to end the story haphazardly. It's just that the end will come eventually and we have to prepare for it. I have this story outlined for months and eventually it'll come to an end.

To those suggesting that I get a BETA…thanks but I'll do my best to finish this in my own. I've had bad experiences with BETAs before so no one can blame me. But I'll try…I'll really do my best so that I could cater to you all.

MAKE ME HAPPY SO PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	33. everytime

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Everytime". Brittney Spears does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

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Ryoma groaned when someone put on the light. He has never felt so tired and so heavy in his whole life.

"Five more minutes." His muffled plea resounded inside the room.

"Get up and get dressed. You have school." Alexandra's voiced came to his senses.

"But Alex…be reasonable." Ryoma grumpily turned to his side when the girl yanked his blanket away.

"I'm being reasonable. You're the one who isn't." she sighed when the boy instinctively curled up into a ball. "And besides, somebody's waiting for you downstairs."

He didn't know where the older girl got the strength to carry him but he soon came to realize that he's already moving and then was pushed inside the bathroom.

"You better be done in five minutes of I'll have Ray snap naked pictures of you and have it posted in your school bulletin." With this, Alexandra turned on the showered and earned a yelp from the boy.

"Argh!!! You're so gonna pay for this!!!" Ryoma yelled as the cold water gushed on him. 'Curse you, pseudo-family.'

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Ohtori could feel the sweat beads forming on his forehead and armpits as four, no six men surrounded him like vultures circling its prey.

"So…" Florenz announced. "…you're Ryo's ex-boyfriend."

"Uh…"

"The one he's shed tears for these couple of weeks." Dominic added.

"Well actually…"

"And made him do things I couldn't fathom see him doing," Rodrigo eyed the boy warily.

"Ano…"

"But you're cute though and you look harmless." Rayver gave him a scrutinizing look.

"Thanks—"

"And it is indeed hard to understand that the two of you fell apart." Warren shook his head in disbelief.

"Ano let me exp—"

"Maybe you did something so terrible to have it result to this." Matt glared at him.

"Oi, stop doing that!" Nanjiroh came to the poor boy's rescue. "You're scaring my future son-in-law." Nanjiroh smiled at Ohtori. "Don't worry, they don't bite."

Florenz broke from their death circle and sighed. Ohtori arrived at their doorstep early that morning and claimed his intention of walking their little Gummy Bear to school. The men, knowing the current situation between the two, took Ohtori outside while the women take care of the brunette.

"What are you gonna do about this, Nanjiroh?" Warren asked.

The Samurai just chuckled heartily. "Nothing of course. You know how the little imp reacts when we meddle with his affairs."

"Uncle!!" the younger of the bunch cried. "This is not a laughing matter. Remember that your son was willing to waste his life away because of him."

Ohtori flinched at the obvious hatred emanating from Ryoma's so-called big brothers. He instinctively bowed to apologize. "I'm really sorry if I had hurt Ryoma. I really am. That is why I'm here."

Rodrigo eyed the boy closely. His frown deepened when a thought came to his mind. "How did you feel when you've learned about my son, Carlos?"

Ohtori stiffened at the unexpected question raised against him. The twinkle in his eyes faded a little as he took a deep breath. "I was devastated at first. Of course I felt betrayed as well knowing that Ryoma hid the truth from me."

"Then what made you change your mind?" Matt asked.

Ohtori looked back at them with a certain determination in his eyes. "Because I love him. I love him so much that I'm willing to put the past behind. I told myself that Ryoma's past with Carlos should not taint the feelings I have for him. When Ryoma and I were together, we were happy. It wasn't just infatuation or sexual attraction. There was more to it and having that sense of awareness of that "more" gave me the reason to fight for him."

Rodrigo smiled at the revelation of the tall boy. The rest aside from Nanjiroh were speechless.

"Well, I guess that answers all of your questions." Nanjiroh chuckled.

"What is going on here?" they turned around as saw Ryoma glaring at them. Talk about waking up at the wrong side of the bed. Ohtori's eyes widened upon the sight of the freshman.

"Oi Shounen!" Nanjiroh gave his son a headlock and ruffled his head.

"Itai!!!!" Ryoma protested.

"Haha you're so cute Shounen." Nanjiroh chuckled when he finally release Ryoma. "Chou-kun is here to pick you up."

Ryoma stared questioningly at the sophomore. Dominic noticed that the tall boy was in a daze so he elbowed him gently.

"Uh yeah." Ohtori muttered when he snapped back into reality. 'As always, you're presence is such a breath of fresh air to me. '

'Is this some kind of a conspiracy?' Ryoma stared at the suspiciously smiling faces of this uncles and pseudo-aniki-tachi. Then he heard the back door opening.

"Ryo-nii-chan, here is your lunch and breakfast!" Estrella clung to Ryoma with a two-layered bento in hand.

"But-"

"Haha, you're gonna be late Ryoma and Ohtori-kun here, I heard is attending at Hyotei which is relatively far from Seigaku." Rodrigo gently ruffled the boy's hair. "You don't want him to be late, right?"

Ryoma threw his Uncle Florence and Uncle Warren a pleading look but only got a thumbs up sign from Warren in return. Florenz just shrugged. "What about Sylvan and James? Aren't they coming too?" Ryoma asked.

"Oh they already left." Rayver sighed.

"You woke up late and you know how cranky Syl gets when things go out of schedule." Matt then gave Ohtori a friendly push. "They'll meet you in school."

"Now go and fly away my little fairies!" Warren gave Ryoma and Ohtori hugs.

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"You think leaving Ryoma is a good idea?" James stood next to Sylvan. He and the bespectacled boy arrived early at the tennis courts. Since their taking 1 subject, Japanese Language, for the remainder of the year, they were allowed to join the tennis club but will start out just like everybody else. They were waiting for the rest of the club members after they have brought out the balls with Oishi.

"Nah, he's the kind of person who requires a rough awakening," Sylvan adjusted his glassed and smiled at his friend. "But bear in mind that you'd have to defend yourself later for some bodily harm."

James grimaced. "Yeah, yeah…don't I always end up as the battered rag doll after?"

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Ryoma and Ohtori were surrounded by awkward silence as they walked down the streets to Seigaku. They exchanged occasional side-glances and that's all.

'This is more nerve-wracking than meeting his parents for the first time.' Ohtori mused as he at the boy who in turn wore his cap low to hide his face from the world. 'He's not _that_ embarrassed to be seen with me right?'

Ryoma on the other hand wore a scowl dark enough to frighten anyone who would attempt to greet or even look at him. He kept his cap low so that no one would notice the slight pink that tainted his cheeks. 'When will he stop staring at me? Man I feel like a lab rat.' He placed his hands in his pockets for sake-keeping. 'He's not _this_ attentive when we were together.'

Ohtori couldn't suppress his smile. Having Ryoma walk a feet away from him after all the chaos they went through the past weeks was a miracle. 'I never thought I could pull this one off,' The tall boy felt like grinning like a maniac. 'Must not forget to send Ji-san and the others "thank you" gifts for doing me a big favor.'

Ryoma snuck a glance at his ex-boyfriend and swore he saw the tall boy grinning like a mad dog. He instantly withdrew his gaze and glued it on the road ahead. 'Must remember to make my Dad's life miserable once I get home.'

"Um so you…" Ohtori swallowed hard when Ryoma shot him a look. "I mean, the weather seems nice." He wanted to slap himself for the clumsy attempt to start a conversation. Ryoma, on the other hand replied with a grunt. 'Great…I finally got a sound from him and I think it is animal language.'

"I'm crossing the street now." Ryoma announced. It was then that Ohtori realized that they stopped at an intersection.

"G-gomen." Ohtori muttered and followed the freshman. 'This is gonna be harder than I thought.'

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And yes it was a shock when Ryoma finally turned up in the tennis court with Ohtori coming up from behind. This earned a club-wide murmur and gossip session until it was called to a halt by Tezuka who gave everyone laps, even Ryoma for being late. He would've given Ohtori his own set but thought it was a ridiculous thing to do. The Hyotei sophomore left without so much commotion.

The bell rang and the classes started. Books were flipped open; pens were exhausted to the last drop of ink. And yet after all this, Ryoma couldn't find a valid reason to explain the irritation building up in his body.

Lunchtime…

"You got two different bentos?!" Sylvan and James cried in outrage at the cafeteria. They were eating with the rest of the regulars when Ryoma unpacked his "Mega Deluxe Double Decker".

"This is so unfair." Sylvan muttered when he dropped back on his seat and shoved a piece of carrot inside his mouth.

"I want more mushrooms but why didn't I get more!" James protested while looking enviously at the brunette's bento.

"That's what you get for feeding your friend to the lion, Judas." Ryoma shot back when he tauntingly ate a button-head. "It was your fault you left early this morning. I didn't get to eat breakfast."

With his "Good boy-thread" snapped, James pushed back his bento, crossed his legs with arms across his chest and stubbornly turned his head to the side.

"James-kun, I can share my lunch with you if you want." Oishi said when his mother-hen instincts kicked him. But the blonde boy stubbornly looked the other way.

Ryoma sighed and stabbed a mushroom and held it to James's lips. "You are such a diva James and a certified pain in my ass!"

James eyed the deliciously-looking mushroom before eating it.

"Finally, a time for peace and quiet." Kaidou muttered.

"Seems like somebody woke up in the wrong side of the bed." Eiji stated.

It was not long after when their peace was again shattered when Ryoma forcefully stabbed his omelet with his chopsticks.

"Echizen, mind your manners." Tezuka said sternly. The freshman just continued prodding his food until…

"He…is…the…most gullible person…I've ever…known." And he punctuated each word with a stab on the poor egg dish. "I can't believe I even dated him."

"Who?" Momo asked.

"I think it's Ohtori he's talking about." Inui whispered to Fuji.

"Whatever Ohtori did to make you mad, Echizen?" the tensai asked.

"He talked about the weather damnit!!!" Ryoma muttered in outrage. "He could've asked, "Hey are you still breathing there?" or probably, "hey ex-boyfriend wanna hook up again?"." He stabbed his omelet again before having his bento snagged by Sylvan.

"I won't let you mutilate this food further." Sylvan shot him an irritated look. "If you quit looking like an electrocuted cat all the time maybe, just maybe, he could get more sensible words out of his mouth other than the weather."

Ryoma huffed and slumped back into his seat. The regulars were trying their best to stifle their laughter. Who would've known Ryoma has this side of personality in him?

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It was not clearly stated that morning whether Ohtori would pick him up or not and since the silver-chained boy is nowhere in sight, Ryoma decided to wander around town. Sylvan and James were busy getting acquainted with the staff of RJ since the take-over will be happening soon. He found himself walking down a familiar street. The sun's red rays bathed the freshman, giving him an ethereal glow as he stood in front of Great Harmony Ltd.

'Wow…it felt like years since I last came here.' Ryoma mused. Before he knew it, he was opening the door.

"Oh it's you!" the same kind-faced clerk greeted him. "It's been quite a while since you last visited this place. How's your grand?"

Ryoma scanned the shop and still the same on decorations, new violins were on display. His expression softened though when he saw the same grand piano that he was playing in the past stood by the window.

"got more stocks to come in and since you became quite a personality already, the one you used to play was decided to be put on a bid." The clerk came up behind him.

"We have a new one inside." The clerk smiled at the boy when he saw the obvious spark of interest in his eyes. "You can get in and try it."

With this Ryoma immediately went inside the testing room. There he saw a shiny new grand, standing right in the middle of the room. 'Just like before.' he turned around and saw a fleeting image of the Hyotei sophomore. The sophomore was smiling at him while leaning against the wall.

"_Don't be sorry." _

'Choutarou…'

"_I'll wait until you're ready but don't expect me to let you go, not even in your dreams." _

Ryoma snapped out of his daze when he heard voices just outside the room. His eyes widened when he soon realized that it was Ohtori's voice he was hearing. His eyes darted around the room, looking for a place to hide. 'What am I gonna do!?' he caught sight of the wooden cabinet on the far corner of the room and didn't even think twice when he jumped inside it. He left the door ajar so that he could still see or hear what was going on outside.

The door opened and in came Ohtori and the clerk.

"Hmm…funny." The clerk muttered in confusion. "I thought he was in here. Oh well…maybe he left already."

Ohtori nodded sadly.

"You can go ahead and play." with this the clerk left him. The tall Hyotei boy walked slowly towards the piano.

Ryoma could feel his heart pounding in his ears. He watched every move that Ohtori made. 'I never noticed it before but he indeed has a nice butt.' Ryoma wanted to punch himself right then and there for thinking such things that moment. 'Remember that you're hiding, idiot!' Ryoma scolded himself as he watched Ohtori took a seat in front of the piano through the crack between the cabinet doors.

Ohtori caressed the keys of the new piano in one sweep of his hand. 'This is not the one Ryoma used to play in the past.' Ohtori's frown deepened. 'Every time I played that piano I can feel him as if he left some of his soul in the keys.' He lazily played a few notes and yet he still can't feel the burning passion for his craft. "What's happening to me?"

Ryoma bit his lip as guilt flooded into his heart. 'Did I hurt you that bad that you can't even find the will to play your beautiful music once more, Chou-chou?' he ignored the numbing of his legs as he watched and listened to Ohtori.

Ohtori took a deep breath and started to play a new melody.

_Notice me_

_Take my hand_

Ryoma held his breath as Ohtori's voice washed over him like a gentle zephyr. 'His voice was of an angel. It breaks my heart for not being able to hear him these past weeks.'

_Why are we_

_Strangers when_

_Our love is strong_

_Why carry on without me?_

Ohtori soon let go of all the pent up emotions inside him. the bitterness of losing Ryoma just because of a bit of carelessness, the truth about why Ryoma wouldn't surrender everything to him, the way he was rejected and left behind for reasons unknown… 'I just couldn't live with it anymore. I tried to act normal but then I can't.'

_Everytime I try to fly_

_I fall without my wings_

_I feel so small_

_I guess I need you baby_

'I can't live with that fact that he seemed ok with us being apart.' Ohtori felt a dry lump on his throat. 'I cannot accept the fact that he already moved on…without me.'

_And everytime I see you in my dreams_

_I see your face, it's haunting me_

_I guess I need you baby_

Ryoma felt his heart was being pounded into a pulp with every word that came out of Ohtori's lips. 'I was so wrong.' Ryoma felt a tear trickling down his cheek. 'I thought being away from you will heal everyone's wounds but no. I only made it worse. I made your wounds worst.'

_I make believe_

_That you are here_

Ohtori closed his eye as he felt the tension knots in his body soon unraveled. He imagined Ryoma's face staring up to him with twinkling eyes. 'What do I need to do? I'm running out of options."

_It's the only way_

_I see clear_

'without him I feet like I've lost everything, my sense of sight, hearing, feeling… my life became so dull the moment you stepped out of my life Ryoma.' Ohtori ignored the steady flow of tears as he continued to play on. 'I made you my life, but look at me now?'

_What have I done?_

_You seem to move on easy_

Ryoma's crying non-stop as well as he watched the magical scene in front of him. It was the first time that he saw Ohtori like this. It's the first time that he saw the boy surrendered all of him to the masterpiece he's creating with his fingers. 'I haven't moved on yet Chou-chou. I'm still stuck in the same plane as you are.'

_And everytime I try to fly_

_I fall without my wings_

_I feel so small_

_I guess I need you baby_

'I know it's all my fault. I've let those stupid memories and fear engulf me that I forgot the one thing that saved me from all of that was your love. I'm so sorry.' Ryoma wiped his tears only to be refreshed by new ones. He felt a thousand knives punctured his heart as he continued watched the agonizing scene.

_And everytime I see you in my dreams_

_I see your face, you're haunting me_

_I guess I need you baby_

'I'm sorry I hadn't been perfect enough to erase those painful memories that you had, that I wasn't strong enough to protect you from any harm.' Ohtori trembled a bit as the cold air touched his skin. 'I can't seem to imagine a day without you… I need you back.

_I may have made it rain_

_Please forgive me_

_My weakness caused you pain_

_And this song is my sorry_

Ryoma felt goose bumps when Ohtori poured everything into the bridge of the song. 'You have long been forgiven, my love. I'm the one who's supposed to say sorry.'

_Ohhhhh_

_At night I pray_

_That soon your face_

_Will fade away_

'Sometimes I wished that all of this just didn't happen. That meeting you here never happened.' Ohtori wiped the tears in his eyes. 'But I just can't. You changed my life. I don't think I'd be able to go back to how I lived before.'

'Please don't.' Ryoma mentally protested. 'Don't forget me. I need you too, Chou-chou. I hope it's not too late for us to start over.' he wanted to jump out of the cabinet but his legs won't seem to move. 'Damn it!'

_And everytime I try to fly_

_I fall without my wings_

_I feel so small_

_I guess I need you baby_

_And everytime I see you in my dreams_

_I see your face, you're haunting me_

_I guess I need you baby_

Two hearts unified with one cry. 'Don't leave….don't forget…don't move on… I need you!'

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Ohtori strayed into a few more places after he finished playing. Soon he found himself in a familiar park, the park where he first shared his first kiss with Ryoma. He took a seat on the free swing as he reminisced the past.

"_Nah…you can't punish me." Ryoma smirked and bravely moved his face an inch closer. "I'm too cute to be punished." He added. His last comment made Ohtori chuckle a little before finally closing the distance left, letting his lips capture Ryoma's in a slow, sweet kiss. _

Ohtori sighed. 'I think I just exhausted my tears earlier.' he closes his eyes as he slowly swung himself back and forth.

_When you feel all alone_

_And the world has turned its back on you_

Ohtori's eyes snapped open and his head jerked up when he heard someone sang. God knows he'd recognized that voice anywhere. He sat there, bewildered while Ryoma stood in front of his, bathed in the crimson light of the fading sun.

"Hey there," Ryoma stared him straight in the eyes. "Let me walk you home this time."

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A/N: cliffie!!!!!! Hahahahahahahhaha!!!!!!!!!! It might still be angst but at least the two are making moves to take each other back.

MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	34. Their stories: Cry

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "Cry". Faith Hill does.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics_ and those in _**bold italics**_ are for duets.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

More A/N: the following four short chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.

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The walk that they had yesterday looked almost the same as what they had in the morning however, they walked in an amicable silence as if their appreciating each other's presence quietly. No, they didn't hold hands nor made any physical contact. Heck, you might think they're still mad at each other due to the lack of intimacy or conversation.

_They were standing outside Ohtori's house for quite a while now. Neither had opened his mouth to talk since they left the park._

_Ohtori caught the brunette's eyes and felt his insides lighten up when he saw those golden orbs devoid of any hatred or fear. "So…" _

_Ryoma pulled his cap lower to hide the blush on his face. "I better get going now. Nanako will need help in defining the last remaining documents of RJ." _

_Ohtori couldn't help but frown a little. "Oh, ok." _

_Ryoma hoisted his tennis bag. "So…see ya at the turn over. Nanako will be expecting you to show up." he was about to turn his back to the tall boy when a hand gently grabbed his. _

"_Ryoma…thank you." Ryoma swore he could see the stars twinkling in his ex-boyfriend's eyes. Before he drowned deeper into those hazel orbs, he looked away and smirked. He retrieved his hand and gave Ohtori is famous Echizen smirk. _

"_Mada mada dane."_

Well…that's a start isn't it?

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Republika de Jarina became a very busy place that Saturday morning. Every employee was in panic mode to get everything done by 8 am. By that time, the management of Republika De Jarina will be turned over to Ryoma, Sylvan and James while Nanako takes command of the two newest branches of RJ, RJ Shibuya (Clariel Branch) and RJ in Roppongi Hills. Everyone was in their best uniforms or in the owners' case, suits and dresses.

Their parents let the task of witnessing the turn over to the eldest sons, stating that they have more important things to do which is actually going to Akita to visit a mountain onzen. While RJ opened for the customers for the day, the EO's are having a meeting in the office.

"You three please be reminded that running a real business is different from your money-lending business way back in your Chilton heydays." Matt gave the three boys a stern look. He was tasked to be the head of the Take-Over Committee given that he already has 3 Clariel Hotels under his wings.

"Ease up Matt." James scoffed. "We're part of this big circle of family and business. We'll eventually take command of the family businesses in the future. We know what to do."

"It's not that simple, Royd." Rayver glared at his brother. He may not be really into the big communication business but he knew by heart how hard it was to handle such responsibility since he opened his own advertising company. "You're performance here will become the basis for Daddy to decide if he's going to leave the managing of Blitz Japan on your hands."

"Don't underestimate us." Sylvan snapped at the older blonde.

Dominic sighed. "We're just warning you, Sylvan." He kept on tapping his chin with his pen. "Especially for your case, you need to master the ins and outs of hotel and restaurant management." Jade eyes gazed at him sympathetically. "Given that Uncle Renz is already hell-bent in making you the future CEO of Clariel Shibuya. Bear in mind that that was one of the main reasons why he allowed you to stay here."

Despite all the high business talks and banters around him, Ryoma seemed like of a different entity. Everything that they're discussed seemed to loom around him in an invisible cloud that's surrounding the brunette. 'I wonder how Karupin's doing today.'

"I think the person whom you really need to talk to is this kid here." Nanako eyed her cousin. "Besides, he's the one who had stepped up as the leader of this small, young group of entrepreneurs. Ne Ryoma, tell us how you'll manage a store like this especially that you're in school."

Ryoma continued to stare at his glass of iced tea.

"Aherm." Still no reply. James crumpled a piece of paper then threw it at the brunette. Bull's eye!

"Wha-what?" Ryoma snapped out of his daze. The people around him sighed in exasperation.

"I asked how you are going to manage RJ while in school." Nanako said in a clipped tone.

Ryoma scanned the expectant faces around him. "Promote Tsubame to become manager?"

Everybody sweat-dropped upon hearing his predicament.

"What? I'm boss." Ryoma scoffed. He stood up and took a peek at the door which was ajar. "You don't question your boss." He's eyes drifted at four familiar figures who are sitting together.

"What do you see out there?" Rayver came up behind the brunette.

Ryoma scoffed. "Funny, I thought I new them all…every last one of them." his eyes were glued at Fuji's sad face. "I always wanted to know what will make them loose their cool, these calm reserved people."

"Now you know," they heard Dominic spoke up. "Love."

Ryoma turned around to study their expressions. A particular face caught his attention and it made him look back to Fuji's table. He frowned a little upon seeing Kirihara's serious face.

"Is there something that you guys know that I need to know?" Ryoma crossed his arms on his chest.

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Fuji's POV

I've been sitting here for quite a while and everyone in my table looks funny. If it had not been for my tensai skill I wouldn't have noticed. By picking up my glass of apple juice it gave me a chance to study them without being that obvious.

"You know it's not healthy to keep your eyes closed like that all the time, Fuji." Yukimura said calmly while picking on his cheese cake. Haha, I think it gives them the creeps. I, Fuji Syuusuke, was able to give the calm and serene Yukimura Seiichi goose bumps. What an achievement.

"Sure hell it is." I turned and saw Kirihara grimacing. Hmmm… something is not right here. I turned to my other side and saw my baby brother kept on patting his cheek with his iced-up glass of shake.

"Yuuta…" I need not to squint closer to tell that it was a bruise. "Did you get in a fight?" my blood started boiling the moment his eyes started darting around. I reached out to touch it but he averted his face from my touch.

"It's nothing aniki." Yuuta replied. "It was just some misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about."

"Now, if you've got problems—" I started but I was rudely interrupted by a hand on my shoulder. I froze up, recognizing who it was and by judging from the looks on my tablemates' faces, I could swear it was…

"Syuusuke…"

Only God knows how that voice cleaved through my heart. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

"Looks like you've got one right here." Kirihara muttered before downing the rest of his soda. I gave him a pained smiled before I stood up and faced the man I've been trying to avoid for the past few days.

"Tezuka…"

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The walk that they had to a nearby park took only five minutes but each agonizing, silent second felts like years that passed by.

Fuji stood a good 6 feet away from Tezuka and has been studying the bespectacled boy for quite a while. The latter was doing the same thing, trying to find viable emotions of the tensai's face.

"What do you want Tezuka?" Fuji asked in a curtly. Even with his eyes closed he could still sense or rather see the stoic captain, in a full-blown, vivid picture.

"Amends." The boy's reply was brief. However that one word almost blew the tensai's world apart.

"You sounded so sure when you said it." Fuji slowly opened his eyes, revealing his unearthly blue eyes. "Tell me, do you really believe you'd get that after this?"

Tezuka pushed up his glasses and met Fuji's challenging gaze. "I know you, Syuusuke…"

"And I know you too, Kunimitsu." Fuji cut him off. His mind was going a mile a second, trying to organize the things he wanted to say to his ex-lover. "You know after what happened during camp, I've never felt so broken up. I used to be in control of my emotions, my temper, of myself. But I didn't notice it back then that I made you my everything, which by the time that I had learned the truth I had nothing left." The tensai took a deep breath.

"I'm Fuji Syuusuke damn it! Everyone thought I was impenetrable, invisible but you shattered me up into a million of pieces like it was a thing that you do normally." Blue orbs almost glowered in anger. 'No, I'm not going to crack in front of him. If there's one thing I've learned from Echizen's idiotic ways, that is to hide my vulnerability at all cost.'

"Syuusuke let me explain…" Tezuka mumbled but the handsome boy just turned his back on him.

"Tell me Tezuka," Fuji shivered a little when the wind softly caressed his body. "How do you do it?" he turned around to face his captain.

"How do you keep that cool, reserved expression especially when you're dealing with another person's emotion?"

"People tend to be irrational when they're emotionally galvanized. It takes one person to stay as calm as possible to rationalize everything." The stoic boy replied. What he didn't expect was Fuji's hand landing hard on his cheek.

Fuji couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Rationalize everything?" he clenched his fists harder, feeling his nails digging into his skin. He took a few full breaths to calm himself. "So that's it. There's nothing to talk about anymore." With this, he started to walk away but Tezuka's quick hand held him back.

"Hear me out, Syu—"

Fuji yanked his arm from Tezuka's grip. "For what?! For you to rationalize everything that I say?!" his lips started to quiver as he tried to suppress his tears. "Could you give me a rational explanation why you mentally and emotionally cheated on me while we were still together?! No Tezuka…" that was the time that he finally left his tears flow freely down his fair skin.

" you know sometimes it takes a little bit of emotion to convince someone that you're sincere in your efforts." with one last look at the person he loved dearly in the past, Fuji Syuusuke decided to walk away…from him and out of his life.

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Fuji did not know where to go next. After what happened in the park, he wandered around, stopping from store to store, trying to divert his attention. He soon found himself in a café not far from RJ. He doesn't want to go back in there in this state. 'I'll just freak out everyone and the celebration will be ruined.' The tensai frowned as he stared at his cup of coffee while a new song played from the café's radio.

_If I had just one tear rolling down your cheek_

_Maybe I could cope maybe I'd sleep._

Fuji didn't even bother to wipe his eyes dry when he came in the café, and would not bother to mind its steady flow down his cheeks as he contemplates on the day's events. "You sure know how to keep your emotions intact."

_If I had just one moment at your expense_

_Maybe all my misery would be well spent_

_Yeah_

'If only I had seen a hint of sadness or a single teardrop, I might've considered your apology. I might've welcomed you back with open arms but I still damn love you so much, Kunimitsu. I really do.' Fuji lazily picked up a teaspoon and started stirring his coffee.

_Could you cry a little, lie just a little._

_Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain_

_I gave now I'm wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me_

'Is this how you treated Echizen when you left him for me?' Fuji wanted answered but he doesn't know where to get them. Of course he knew that the one person who has those answers was the same person he left standing all alone in the park a few minutes earlier. 'I can't face him now. If I get to take another look in his eyes, I know I'd be back in his arms in a flash.'

_If your love could be caged, Honey I would hold the key_

_And conceal it underneath the pile of lies you handed me_

Fuji let himself get absorbed by the continuous swirl of the black liquid. 'Maybe I'm just like this cup of coffee. I've been confined for so long and everything in me churned into an endless swirl of void. I'm nothing but an empty void.' Fuji absent-mindedly wipes the tears of his cheeks before going back into staring at his cup.

_And you'd hunt those lies,_

_They'd be all you'd ever find._

_That'd be all you have to know, for me to be fine_

_Yeah_

'If only he knew how much he pain he had inflicted on me, maybe it'd make his granite heart crack and that's all that I wanted." Fuji's glossy hair kept him veiled from the public's prying eyes. "That's all I wanted."

_And you'd cry a little, die just a little_

_And maybe I'd feel a little less pain_

_I gave now I'm wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me._

'If I could only see you cry… somehow it'll give some reassurance that I meant something to you. It'll make me feel so much better.' Fuji closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ease the stinging pain in his heart.

_Give it up Baby, I hear your goodbye_

_Nothing's gonna save me, I've seen it in your eyes_

_Some kind of heartache I'm giving a try_

_I don't want pity I just want what is mine_

_Yeah_

'You went so far for your feelings for Echizen. So far that you're even willing to hurt Ohtori-kun. Why can't you give me what I deserved?' Fuji bit his lip as the harsh memories came flooding back in his head. "I want to see if I'm even worth your tears Kunimitsu…'

_Could you cry a little, lie just a little_

_Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain_

_I gave now I'm wanting something in return_

_So cry just a little for me_

"… For I wasn't even worth the truth from the start. This is the least that you could do to ease my pain."

_Could you cry just a little for me…_

It took him a few more minutes to gather his thoughts and fix himself a close-eyed smile before he decided to return to RJ.

"So much for me now…" Fuji muttered to himself as he stepped out of the café. 'I better get back to the cake shop before they get too suspicious and besides, I still have Yuuta's bruise and Echizen's mutilated love life to mind.'

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A/N: I know, I know…I made Tezuka the bad guy in the story. Well, I figured that since getting too much love from most of the fics that I have read it'd be nice to turn the table and let him be the villain for once.

You might be confused… I am too. I don't know what got into me for doing this but I felt that I need to give some of the characters some justice.

The point of collaboration of these four short chapters is the take-over meeting. It might be the future or the past.

And last but not the least….

MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! KIRIHARA AND SYLVAN'S SENTIMENTS ARE UP!!!!


	35. Their stories: Insensitive

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "Insensitive". Anne Loree does.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics_ and those in _**bold italics**_ are for duets.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

More A/N: the following four chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then one-sided Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.

THIS IS NOT THE END OF TMTYM!!!!!! I REPEAT THIS IS NOT THE END!!!!!!!!!! If ever I wasn't able to polish this chapter thoroughly, gomen! it's kinda hard to do when at the same time I'm memorizing amino acids, proteins and lipids. I'll try harder next chapter

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Friday afternoon…

Sylvan ditched James that afternoon to meet with someone. Of course he knew that it is important to get acquainted with their future employees but Kirihara had asked him to meet him up at the bus station.

'If Ryo hadn't been that hard-headed we'll probably be having the time of our lives now.' Soft gentle wind blew his wavy blue hair off his face, exposing the feminine look of the young boy. People around him couldn't help but stare at him and his regal beauty. Soon he felt a pair of strong arms encircled him.

"There you are." Kirihara whispered into his ear.

Sylvan felt a sudden chill ran down his spine so his basic reflex was to break away from Kirihara's embrace. The boy noted the hurt expression on his boyfriend's face.

"Uh Syl, are you alright?" Kirihara asked. 'Why did he break away?'

The boy shook his head. "Yes I'm fine." Then he turned around and started to walk.

Kirihara waived off the twinge of pain that he felt as he tried to catch up with the bespectacled boy. "Is Ryoma doing fine?"

Sylvan nodded but kept his eyes glued to the ground.

'Hmmm…something's not right.' Kirihara mused as he studied the profile of his boyfriend. It is a known fact that the boy could rival Yukimura's looks and Tezuka's attitude but he's seen more emotions on Sylvan than the Seigaku buchou. 'I want to know what's going on!'

Sylvan's mind was busy as well. 'Will I soften up just like Ryoma if I entrust my whole self to this boy? I have seen how love nearly destroyed my friend's life…shall I take the same plunge or shall I keep a good space between Aya and me?' the freshman stole a glance at his boyfriend. 'How can I protect myself?'

The two walked in silence for quite a while until they've reached a small secluded park. Kirihara bought then takoyaki before they settled on a bench underneath a sakura tree.

"Yukimura-buchou made us train so hard today." Kirihara said while poking at his food.

"Unn…"

"I never thought I'd be able to walk out of the courts."

"Souka…"

Kirihara took a deep breath and set down his food. 'He's turning Tezuka or rather Kabaji on me.' he eyed the boy beside him who was quietly eating his takoyaki while his yes are eternally glued to the bushes across the pavement. 'But I still can't believe how lucky I am to have him by my side.'

Sylvan knew that Kirihara has been staring at him the whole time. However, the young boy was afraid of staring right back. He wasn't able to retaliate though when the sophomore placed a hand around his shoulders and pulled him closer to lean on his shoulders.

"I'm really glad that you've decided to stay here in Japan for good." Kirihara muttered to his ear. Sylvan keep his mouth shut and let his boyfriend to the talking. He's not that much of a conversationalist to start off. Gentle hands started to massage his scalp and soon the boy was starting to feel sleepy.

"Aishiteru Syl…"

Those two words made Sylvan's gray eyes snap open and gaze into those alluring green ones as well.

Kirihara was expecting the boy to say those words back but what he didn't expect were Sylvan's arms snaking around his neck, pulling his down for a searing kiss. His mind reeled into overdrive when Sylvan opened his mouth and met Kirihara's tongue in a tentative duel until it evolved into a battle to subdue the fire the ignited inside them.

Kirihara's arms wound around Sylvan's waist and pulled him closer until the freshman was straddling his hips. As the kiss deepened, Sylvan reached up and took off his glasses and laid it on the space beside his boyfriend. With that gone, Kirihara was free to give Sylvan butterfly kisses on his eyes, his cheeks, his nose then back to his delectable red lips.

The young boy couldn't help but moan when the sophomore's kisses landed on his neck. He held on to Kirihara's uniform as tingles of pleasure coursed down to his fingertips while his boyfriend kept on nipping at his pulsating artery. Just when Kirihara's hands started to creep up his torso, Sylvan's cell phone rang. This made the boy pushed his boyfriend and climbed down his lap.

Kirihara was still in a daze when Sylvan started to fix his self.

"I gotta go." These three words slapped the Rikkai Ace awake.

"As in now?" Kirihara asked. Sylvan's face was unreadable when he put on his glasses. "Ok, tell me what it is exactly." He crossed his arms across his chest.

"Nothing. I just had to go." Sylvan replied.

Kirihara gritted his teeth. "Then why the cold treatment Syl? I thought everything about us is ok."

Sylvan sighed. His mind was still clouded from what happened earlier but then again, his fixed jaw and cold grey eyes got better of him. "Everything's ok. It's just that I need to go." He gave Kirihara a curt nod. "Ja."

Kirihara slumped back on the bench, hurt and furious. "I didn't do anything wrong!" he muttered in outrage before he buried his face into his hands. He thought everything was going smoothly. This is the kind of set-back that he didn't expect. 'I think this is the price for loving a person like him.'

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Sylvan was in a deadly mood when he got on the bus and what's worse is that he could find an explanation to rationalize his actions earlier. He took out his ipod hoping that his frustration might simmer down.

"I don't understand myself anymore." He muttered before sticking the phones into his ears.

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Kirihara took out his ipod. 'Maybe music will help me simmer down.' He mused as he turned it on. He just remembered that Sylvan configured both their ipods so that every time they turn it on, they will be listening to the same song.

_How do you cool your lips after a summer' kiss?_

_How do you rid the sweat after the body bliss?_

'How can you be so cold after what had happened?' Kirihara felt like tearing his hair off. 'And while I'm at it, I can't help but notice that you keep leaving me hanging most of the time. Why?'

_How do you turn your eyes from the romantic glare?_

_How do you block the sound of a voice you'll know anywhere?_

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Sylvan bit his lip as the words of the song stabbed deeper into his small voluntary pumping muscle. 'I've been like this even before I met him. Does this mean I need to change every thing that I am just to satisfy the needs of my partner?' Sylvan saw a couple sitting not far from him. 'The closest experience I had of love was that fling I had with James a year ago.'

_Oh I really should have known_

_By the time you drove me home_

_By the vagueness in your eyes_

_Your casual goodbyes_

_By the chill in your embrace_

_The expression on your face_

_That told me maybe you might have_

_Some advice to give_

_On how to be_

_Insensitive..._

'Come to think of it, I can't even call it a relationship. But with Aya…" sylvan groaned inwardly upon remembering his exit earlier. 'Damn it! Why am I so inexperienced at things like this?!'

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Realizing that the freshman will not be coming back, Kirihara grumpily left the park and headed home.

'I'm living in Kanagawa damn it! How am I suppose to know the real reason if I live miles away from him?' the sophomore stumbled upon an empty soda can and in his anger, he kicked the can with all his might.

_How do you numb your skin after the warmest touch?_

_How do you slow your blood after the body rush?_

"How would I be able to melt that granite heart of yours completely?" Kirihara asked out loud but met only wind as an answer.

_How do you free your soul after you've found a friend?_

_How do you teach your heart it's a crime to fall in love again?_

A thought came into his mind that made him stop for a while. "Ryoma. Maybe he'll have some idea how to solve our problem." The idea seemed appealing to him but then a little voice in his head told him otherwise. 'Ryoma's dealing with a far greater problem with Ohtori right now. It wouldn't help if I come to him for advice.' Kirihara groaned inwardly.

"Argh! What am I gonna do with you, Sylvan Beauclaire?!"

_Oh you probably don't remember me_

_It's probably ancient history_

_I'm one of the chosen few_

_Who went ahead and fell for you_

"Maybe you're still not ready yet to commit into a relationship like this. Heck! Maybe I'm coming on him too strong that he wanted some space…"

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'No…I don't want any space from him.' Sylvan was currently in a middle of a mind-battle between the good-natured Van and the bad-ass Syl. 'but you're scared. You're trying to keep your head up above the waters by being unfeeling and insensitive. You're scared that what happened to Ryo's three failed relationships will happen to you too once you've let your guard down.' Sylvan shuddered involuntarily at that thought.

_I'm out of vogue, I'm out of touch_

_I fell too fast, I feel too much_

_I thought that you might have_

_Some advice to give_

_On how to be_

_Insensitive_

'FYI, Ryo's relationship with Ohtori is not entirely a goner. They're trying to pick up the pieces and putting them together to start anew.'

'Oh really…but that still doesn't change the fact that you're pushing your own boyfriend away in anticipation that you two might end up just like them.'

_Oh I really should have known_

_By the time you drove me home_

_By the vagueness in your eyes_

_Your casual goodbyes_

'Oh shut up! Remember you're just an id.' Sylvan blinked back the tears in his eyes. 'Stupid alter egos! They really know how to make one crack up.'

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Kirihara sighed in his seat as the bus started moving towards home. 'Tomorrow's the take over…maybe there I could get more answers.'

_By the chill in your embrace_

_The expression on your face_

_That told me maybe you might have_

_Some advice to give_

_On how to be_

_Insensitive_

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_Insensitive_

Sylvan reluctantly stepped down from the bus. 'James will surely be pissed off right now.' He shoved his hands inside his pocket and started treading towards RJ. 'Maybe Ryoma will be able to help me.'

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The next morning…

"Don't underestimate us." Sylvan snapped at the older blonde.

Dominic sighed. "We're just warning you, Sylvan." He kept on tapping his chin with his pen. "Especially for your case, you need to master the ins and outs of hotel and restaurant management." Jade eyes gazed at him sympathetically. "Given that Uncle Renz is already hell-bent in making you the future CEO of Clariel Shibuya. Bear in mind that that was one of the main reasons why he allowed you to stay here."

Sylvan did his best to suppress a snort. 'Yeah right.'

"I think the person whom you really need to talk to is this kid here." Nanako eyed her cousin. "Besides, he's the one who had stepped up as the leader of this small, young group of entrepreneurs. Ne Ryoma, tell us how you'll manage a store like this especially that you're in school."

The grey-eyed boy stared at his friend who seemed to ne in a daze. 'Che! So much for asking him for relationship advice.'

"Aherm." Still no reply. James crumpled a piece of paper then threw it at the brunette. Bull's eye!

"Wha-what?" Ryoma snapped out of his daze. The people around him sighed in exasperation.

"I asked how you are going to manage RJ while in school." Nanako said in a clipped tone.

Ryoma scanned the expectant faces around him. "Promote Tsubame to become manager?"

Sylvan shook his head. He knew that this was going to be the reply of his best friend.

"What? I'm boss." Ryoma scoffed. He stood up and took a peek at the door which was ajar. "You don't question your boss." He's eyes drifted at four familiar figures who are sitting together.

"What do you see out there?" Rayver came up behind the brunette.

Ryoma scoffed. "Funny, I thought I new them all…every last one of them." his eyes were glued at Fuji's sad face. "I always wanted to know what will make them loose their cool, these calm reserved people."

"Now you know," they heard Dominic spoke up. "Love."

Sylvan felt a painful tug in his heart. Somehow he knew where this conversation will lead. 'Aya is outside. Nanako invited him.' and all the time Sylvan didn't find the courage to walk up to him.

"Is there something that you guys know that I need to know?" Ryoma crossed his arms on his chest. Silence reigned in the office. "Ok, you older people get out; face the customers while I have a talk with my dear best friends."

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Kirihara sighed for the nth time. he's missing the action and the tension and most of all, not that he would admit this one out loud, the giddy feeling in his stomach whenever Sylvan's amazing grey eyes look up to him.

"I wonder where Fuji and Tezuka went." Yukimura calmly muttered while eating his cheese cake.

Kirihara wondered too, given that the tensai and Ryoma's stoic ex-boyfriend are still out. While scanning the place, he too noticed the bruise forming on Yuuta's cheek. 'Now who's stupid or rather brave enough to hurt Fuji Syuusuke's little brother?' his attention was diverted though when Nanako and others came out of the office. He's heart started pounding.

"Syl…"

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"So let me get this straight," Ryoma muttered while paced back and forth in of the bespectacled boy. " you're pushing Akaya-senpai away because you're afraid that the two of you might end up just like Choutarou and me?" Golden orbs stared accusingly into cold grey one.

"Now that's stupid." James snorted.

Sylvan glared at him. "Shut up! How would you know of things like this when all you've had were one-night stands and flings?" he noticed that the blonde visibly flinched at his comment.

"Well there's one thing that I know of, you cold-hearted moron," James stood up abruptly, pain emanating from his blue eyes. "I'm in a better position than you are because at least I know what human warmth is all about." With this, the blonde stormed out of the office.

"James!" Ryoma cried in dismay. The brunette's eyes glared back at Sylvan who still wore the same stoic expression he had since they started their conversation. "You were way out of line there, Syl."

The latter just took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry."

Ryoma sighed and sat beside the distressed boy. "No, I should be the one who should apologize." He placed a hand over Sylvan's cold ones and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know that my relationship with Choutarou is greatly affecting your insight on your own relationship Sylvan but I think you better stop over-calculating everything and start letting your own feelings go."

Sylvan started deep into those hypnotic golden orbs. "You know that it'll never be easy for me, Ryo. Among the four of us, I'm the most socially isolated. I don't know the ins and outs of human relations."

Ryoma was rather alarmed by the amount of emotion the wavy-haired boy was showing. "I know but that's the reason why you should start now. If you could only explain things to Akaya in a manner in which he would understand best, everything will be alright." He pulled Sylvan close for hug. "Ok?"

Sylvan couldn't help but smile at the affectionate gesture Ryoma's showing him. "Ok."

"Now go inside the storage room and get the ingredients for our cake."

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Kirihara jolted upright when a hand tapped his shoulders. He looked up and saw James standing behind him. There was something different with the handsome blonde boy. 'Maybe it's his frown. I'm not used to seeing him frown like this.'

'Ryoma told me that you were the last person who stored the Chinese spices." Even the tone of his voice was dull. "He needs them right now."

Kirihara sighed. "Ok, I'll get them." he left his seat and went into the storage room.

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Sylvan was busy locating the ingredients for their custard cake when he heard the door opened and closed. It was not long after Kirihara appeared before him looking very confused.

"Hi." Sylvan muttered.

"Uh hi." Kirihara replied.

'CLICK!' their heard jerked towards the direction of the door.

"They locked us in." Kirihara mumbled. Before Sylvan could react, his boyfriend darted towards the door and started fumbling with the knob. Sylvan sighed at Kirihara's failed attempts to open the door.

"It's no use." He called out.

Kirihara sighed in frustration. He reluctantly approached the freshman. "They tricked us."

Sylvan didn't respond until after a few seconds. "It's ok. We need to talk anyway." His steely-grey eyes stared directly into Kirihara's green ones.

Kirihara's heart raced faster when the freshman's eyes fell on him. "O-ok."

Sylvan took a deep breath and gentle held the sophomore's hands. "About yesterday…" cold grey eyes softened to brown ones. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you so abruptly."

Kirihara blinked a couple of times before finally getting what Sylvan was talking about. "Oh that?" he chuckled in attempt to hide the pain he felt while reminiscing. "It was nothing—"

Sylvan's grip on his hands grew tighter. "No!" he stressed out. "Don't say such things." Sylvan averted his gaze now, feeling embarrassed. "I left because I chickened out."

Kirihara felt the fluttering of his stomach grew stronger. "Chickened out? What are you talking about?"

Sylvan sighed before he suddenly wrapped his arms around Kirihara's waist. "I got scared. I was afraid of the fact that we might end up just like Ryo and Ohtori when we come to that same point of complete abandon. I-I wasn't ready to face the consequences similar to what I've seen with Ryoma. Then add the fact that I'm no people person or social butterfly."

Kirihara could help but smile at his cute, impetuous boyfriend. "So you mean?"

Sylvan groaned in frustration. "Damn it Aya! Stop making fun of me. I'm trying to express what I feel here and this is a thing that I don't do every so often!"

"Kidding!" Kirihara chuckled and embraced the bespectacled boy tighter. "It's ok. I understand. I could only imagine how hard it is for you to break the walls that you've surrounded yourself with." He placed a chaste kiss on Sylvan's forehead. "If you'd let me, I'll personally carry the mace so that it'd be easier for you."

Sylvan's stoic face broke into a smile. "Can clean up after me as well?"

Kirihara couldn't help but laugh. "You little spoiled brat!" the two dissolved into fits of laughter.

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"You think they made up?" Nanako asked with her ears pressed to the storage room door.

"Sounds like they did." Ryoma muttered. He stepped away from the door and scoffed. "Do I always have to look after those two?" he scanned the room and noticed someone missing.

"Wait, where the hell is James?"

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"Uh…how are we gonna get out of here?" Kirihara asked. Sylvan fished something out of his pocket and held it to his boyfriend's face.

"You had that inside your pocket all the time?"

Sylvan's eyebrow arched. "What? Do you have any complaints?" he twirled the key holder in his finger.

"None at all."

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A/N: I feel so bad…people are quite confused. Gomen nasai minna-san!!!!!

I patterned Sylvan's behavior after Tezuka, giving him a bit of disadvantage when it comes to relationships. Don't hate Sylvan ok? I like him!

To those asking about Yuuta's bruise… patience my little children.

Next up will be a one-sided YukiRyo, will add a ChouRyo to intensify the one-sidedness. Lastly…

MAKE ME HAPPY AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	36. Their stories: Invisible

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "Invisible". Clay Aiken does.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics_ and those in _**bold italics**_ are for duets.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

More A/N: the following four short chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.

AS I HAVE SAID, THESE FOUR CHAPTERS ARE SHORT. THAT IS MY PLAN.

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Yukimura Seiichi is not the one who would wear his emotions up his sleeves nor was he the type of person who could scare people away with a stern look. He is Yukimura Seiichi. He's the handsome, talented and gifted captain of the one and only,Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku. He could be compared to Fuji Syuusuke of Seigaku when it comes to demeanor. He's calm, reserved, and gentle-spoken, a bit of fragile at first glance but has undeniably superior strength underneath, has a bit of a sadistic streak.

He is Yukimura Seiichi, Japan's no. 1 tennis player in the junior high scene, which is before he got sick. But despite that, no one in the history was able to make the captain loose his cool until Echizen Ryoma.

Yukimura sighed as he toyed with his food. He and the regulars were having their usual lunch date together, enjoying a little bit of time off from studies. Everything was nice and quiet until…

"Oi, another message from your boyfriend?" Marui asked, trying to peek past Kirihara's shoulders. The latter just shrugged his senpai off.

"There is a thing we call privacy, Bunta-senpai." Kirihara snapped at the redhead.

"What did he say? Or is it some kissy-kissy French thingy?" Niou smiled maniacally at the junior ace.

Sanada, Yagyuu and Jackal decided it's wise to stay out of the upcoming banter. Yanagi on the other hand was busy scribbling in his notebook.

Yukimura shook his head and smiled. 'Kids, all of them are.' He cleared his throat to get their attention. "We shouldn't meddle with Akaya's love life now, Haru." The gentle captain smiled sympathetically at their "Baby".

Kirihara's smile widened when Niou and Marui slumped back in their seats in defeat for no one ever dared to disobey Yukimura when he's playing aniki for the sophomore.

"Really Buchou, you're spoiling this brat too much." The Trickster muttered. Kirihara stuck out his tongue at him. "Come on! Spill it!"

"Not much actually." Kirihara mumbled before wolfing down his food. "Syl just informed me that Ohtori finally had the guts to break the ice and be man enough to take Ryoma back."

Silence reigned in their table. Kirihara glanced at his senpai-tachi, confused at the sudden change of mood.

Sanada eyed his best friend who visibly flinched at the sophomore's statement.

Yukimura felt his insides froze when he heard what Kirihara said. 'Take Ryoma back?' his mind was going a mile a second and yet the words seemed too slow to register in his superior brain. He's was thinking so fast that he jerked when a warm hand tapped his.

"Buchou, daijobou desu ka?" Yagyuu asked, worry etched in his voice. The latter blinked a couple of times before flashing a pained, fallacious smile.

"Yeah…I'm fine." And with that the bell rang, signaling the end of their break.

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He turned on the faucet and watched the water's steady downpour into the vanity sink. He then placed his hand sunder the hard running water then splashed his face with it. The simple splashing turned into a vigorous washing of the face.

Yukimura looked up and studied his image of the mirror. He could only care less about the water dripping down his face. What he didn't like was the different glow in his eyes. He yanked a few sheets of paper towels and patted his face dry. Why he was inside the men's room, he could hardly remember.

"All that's popping inside my head is a picture of Ryoma and Ohtori…together." He gritted his teeth in anger. He tried to follow Sanada's breathing therapy, hoping that it would somehow help him simmer down. He studied his reflection on the mirror once more. 'I was never the one to get angry so easily. I have one of the longest and sturdiest string of patience than anyone else that I know.' he groaned. "So why do I feel so enraged upon hearing that their getting back together?" he question was answered by nothing but a windy howl.

'Am I jealous?'

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Yukimura's POV

I studied the scene before me as the wind sped up, indicating an upcoming storm. I didn't plan it to be this way. The sky darkened over Kanagawa and underneath it were my regulars, gasping for breath after having them run 150 laps after strenuous tennis matches.

"Buchou…" Marui chocked out. His constant needs for glucose was not new to me but I guess I went a little overboard and cruel. Jackal was kind enough to limp away and get him his emergency supply of sugar. "…are you possessed or…s-something?"

I studied each one of them intently. Kirihara and Niou looks like they're going to pass out anytime soon while the rest were silently gasping for their breaths or maybe even cursing me for my sudden spurt of cruelty. I took a deep breath before addressing my so-called fallen comrades.

"If we're vying for a three-peat, it's just reasonable for us to be in the best shape for the tournament." I could see how Kirihara flinched at the sound of my words. I didn't mean to be too cruel to them…I'm just being a good captain. "I guess that's enough for today. You can go home now. Haru, Hiroshi, you two are in-charge of the clubroom today. Make sure you lock up." I took my racket and smiled at them apologetically. "Ja!"

It wasn't long after they trudged into the clubroom while I was packing my things. They didn't say anything as they moved like zombies inside that crammed up little room. I know I have to apologize properly but it seems like I lost the heart to do any acts of charity and mercy for today.

"Seiichi…"

I turned around only and realized it was Genichirou. The expression in his face was unreadable. "Yes, Gen?"

He sighed deeply and stared back at me with slightly condemning eyes. "I know why you're acting this way Seiichi," His voice dropped into a whisper, not wanting the rest of our teammates to hear. "And I could only imagine the pain you're experiencing right now but it is not right to punish innocent people."

I blinked back in surprise. I never expected him to take it so personally. I didn't…or did I?

"I know that you didn't take the news about Echizen and Ohtori ever so lightly. I know how frustrated you are right now…" his eyes grew cold. "But please--"

"I know." I could see where this conversation will lead. "I know, Gen. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." I didn't stay to hear what he has to say next. All I want to do is to get away from that place as soon as possible so that I could wallow into my own self-pity and remorse.

It is I, Yukimura Seiichi…the boy who got jealous for nothing, the boy who loved someone I know will never be mine.

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I went straight up to my room the moment my mother finished fussing over me. She never got over the fact that I was once a sick kid. She always thinks that I would just drop down with another attack or something. I gently clocked and locked my door before I threw my school bag on my bed. I'm so confused now. It's like I don't know who I am anymore. Someone I wish that aliens abducted me and altered my brain instead of sitting here on my bed, reflecting on my personal actions earlier. Actions that I did out of blind rage and jealousy.

"But who am I to be jealous?"

I blindly fumbled for the remote control of my stereo and put it on; hoping music would help me relax.

_What are you doing tonight_

_I wish I could be a fly on your wall_

_Are you really alone_

_Still in your dreams_

I cast a glance on the photo pinned on my headboard. I smiled sadly at the sight of it. It was a picture I stole out of Fuji's collection. It was a picture of Ryoma sleeping underneath a tree. I crawled up my bed to detach it.

"Echizen Ryoma…you don't even have an idea of your effect on me. I hate it…I really do. I don't like the fact that you never took a second glance at me."

_Why can't I bring you into my life_

_What would it take to make you see that I'm alive_

I rolled unto my stomach and traced the outlines of his innocent face. I could feel my stomach churning in desire. I've never been to this end of the spectrum before. Yukimura Seiichi is always the one being chased and worshipped.

_If I was invisible_

_Then I could just watch you in your room_

_If I was invisible_

_I'd make you mine tonight_

_If hearts were unbreakable_

_Then I can just tell you where I stand_

_I would be the smartest man_

_If I was invisible_

_(Wait…I already am)_

I buried by head into my pillow and let out a frustrated groan. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

_I saw your face in the crowd_

_I called out your name_

_You don't hear a sound_

_I keep tracing your steps_

_Each move that you make_

_Wish I could be what goes through your mind_

_Wish you could touch me with the colors of your life_

I limply rolled unto my back, exhausted from the ordeal. Didn't he even consider that it was I who save from freezing to death during camp? I felt the pain in my heart grew. Soon I felt my eyes welling up. No, I shouldn't be crying over petty things…I should not. But then I couldn't stop it.

_I reach out_

_But you don't even see me_

_Even when I'm screaming_

_Baby, you don't hear me_

_I am nothing without you_

_Just a shadow passing through..._

I only asked for one chance…but it was never giving to me. What does Ohtori Choutarou have that I don't?

"What is it?" I asked out loud but still no reply.

I'm far better-looking than him. He's just taller. I'm more talented in tennis; he's…average if you ask me. I hastily wiped the tears off my face. I took the picture and felt my lips quiver. "What made you love him so much that you couldn't even spare me a glace?"

_If I was invisible_

_Then I could just watch you in your room_

_If I was invisible_

_I'd make you mine tonight_

_If hearts were unbreakable_

_Then I can just tell you where I stand_

_I would be the smartest man_

_If I was invisible_

_(Wait, I already am)_

A rapt knock on my door caught my attention. I immediately wiped away my tears and flattened by hair over my eyes to hide the redness.

_Wait…I already am_

"Yes mother?"

My mom's smiling face peeked out of the door. "A boy named Echizen Ryoma called. He said that you're invited to the take-over of a cake shop or something."

I just sat there, gaping at my mother. No…this is just a dream. "P-pardon?"

My mom sighed. "I said a kid invited you to a cake shop tomorrow. Really Seiichi, you should pay more attention." And with this, show closed the door.

I didn't even realize that I accidentally sat on the remote control. I could feel my insides churning. "Echizen called to invite me personally…" I could immediately sense my mood is changing. I collapsed back on my bed with a smile plastered on my lips, this it's the true smile of Seiichi Yukimura. "I'm not invisible anymore."

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Well, talk about setting your expectations too high. Here I sat with his two best friends instead, Yuuta Fuji and Akaya. Oh of course Fuji Syuusuke is here as well. I really wanted to see the boy who made me so restless these past few days but I think it couldn't be helped since he's inside, having a meeting. Sitting here with problematic tablemates allowed me to hone my observing skills. Problematic I say? I eyed Fuji Syuusuke first… oh I remembered he just broke up with Tezuka.

"You know it's not healthy to keep your eyes closed like that all the time, Fuji". I said before taking in a piece of my cheese cake, or so I though it was a cheese cake after I have mutilated it. As usual, the tensai just gave me one of his closed-eyed smiles. Talk about creepy.

"Sure hell it is." I turned to be right and saw Akaya pouting while mixing and remixing his milkshake. Hmmm…whatever could've happened to make him look so dejected today?

"Yuuta…" Ahh the younger Fuji. I saw how Fuji looked at the way his younger brother kept on patting his cheek with his iced-up glass. Now that I'm on it, I could see a bluish-purplish discoloration on his skin.

"It's nothing aniki." Yuuta replied. "It was just some misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about."

I really wanted to point something out but I bit back my tongue when I saw Tezuka stood behind the tensai. Hmm…this ought to be good.

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Fuji and Tezuka are still out, Akaya is inside the storage room and I'm left here with the non-vocal Fuji Yuuta. Hmm I bet he has bigger problems as well and I think it concerns a certain blonde kid. Oh well, I've got more pressing problems than that. I sighed to the umpteenth time, still waiting for Echizen to approach me. What I didn't expect though was the arrival of a certain tall kid.

"Ohtori-kun!" Nanako just got out of the kitchen and gave the boy a warm hug. I felt my insides churn. Great! He already established familial closeness.

"Na-chan, I brought my parents along as you have instructed." Ohtori replied. And yes indeed. The moment he mentioned the words "parents" a middle-aged couple came in, smiling warmly to everyone. I watched them carefully from the greetings to their table.

"Talk about special treatment." Yuuta muttered. "They even have their own reserved table."

Yeah I noticed. It was then that the boy I had been waiting for came out, looking very calm and composed. Shit…I'm mooning.

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"Ryo-kun!" female half of the couple called. The brunette smiled and gave the woman a hug.

"I'm glad you could come." Ryoma said. He caught Ohtori's eyes and gave him an appreciative nod.

"I thought you'd be clod to us after you and Chou-kun broke up and I'm glad you're still the same." Saime added. There was an awkward feel hovering above them.

"Kaa-san, please." Ohtori pleaded. He then looked up to Ryoma and smile sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

Ryoma smiled a little. "Its ok." the brunette made a quick scan of the crowd and noticed Yuuta sitting by himself. 'Now why do people disappear at the sudden these days?'

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Yukimura's POV

I had to get out of there. Seeing him with Ohtori made me sick. I don't hate them like hate, _hate_ them. The truth is I hate myself. I leaned against the wall as I tried to calm myself.

"Yukimura-san…"

My head jerked towards the direction of the voice and saw James leaning on the same wall not far from me with a lighted cigarette in one hand. "James-kun…"

The blonde kid just gave me a pained smile as he flicked the ashes off. "What brings you here?" he asked before taking a long drag. I composed myself. I walked towards him and with a quick movement, I swatted the offensive stick off his hand.

"Hey!" the boy protested.

"You're not supposed to smoke James-kun. Don't you know that's illegal?" I could feel my consciousness slip back. I'm back to being Yukimura Seiichi, the captain, the star student, the good kid.

"Che!" the blonde grunted. "I could always stick one into my mouth anytime I want. Why bother?" James racked a shaking hand through his blonde tresses.

"James-kun, are you ok?" I asked, curious as to why he's acting like this. I was surprised though when he just gave a melancholic look. The one in front of me is an epitome of a fallen angel…lost and scared-to-death. Now I know that James Thorrington is not all fun and games. I can clearly see he's just like Ryoma, wounded and scarred for life.

"I quit smoking a few months ago," he said. "Sylvan and I promised to stay clean as long as we're here." He stepped on the fallen stick and put out its flames. "But what can I say, old habits die hard." He then gave me a look that made me feel like he's delving deep into my soul. Blue eyed people seemed to be talented with that. Fuji Syuusuke is one. "I saw Ohtori and his parents arrived. Was that the reason why you left?"

I was taken aback. Who thought this boy could actually read minds? "I uh…"

"Don't answer." James smirked. "I already know. People tend to pass me off for some pretty blonde kid who knows nothing aside from being vain, stupid and flirtatious. They don't know that their indifference made me see more than what they can see. I'm an artist…I'm often misunderstood for my motives and actions."

I could sense a great sadness emanating from him. I want to know what's making him sad but I decided to keep my mouth shut.

"You're mad at yourself because you still love my friend. You probably love him as much as Ohtori does, given that you allow yourself to be placed in a hurtful situation every time." Wow…he's words cut deep. "But Ryoma already has his attention glued to the other, not you."

"Wow…you have a knack of hitting a nail in the head James-kun," I muttered. "You're so like your friend."

I could hear him chuckle at my statement. "Really?"

I sighed. The cold air swept past us, making our stresses dancing with it. "Yes. And you're right. No matter how many times I convince myself that it's ok, I can't seem to let go of that fact that I'm the one left empty-handed. Had I met him first, things will not be the way it is."

"But you didn't." James added. "Sooner or later you have to learn you place in Ryoma's world. Maybe letting him go is the key to your own redemption as well." he started to walked away from me. "Or maybe you're right. Maybe time conspired against you. But if you don't accept things for the way they are and supposed to be, you'll be the one left with nothing."

And he was gone. I just stood there, rooted on the same spot as I let James' words ran inside my head again and again. That was the time I realized what a loser I was.

"Daijobou desu ka, Yukimura-kun?"

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"Where's Yukimura-senpai?" Ryoma asked probably everyone inside the shop but no one knew where the handsome captain went. 'I never got the chance to thank him for saving my life.' He scanned the place again, hoping to see him this time.

The chimes sounded, indicating a new guest. Ryoma's body swirled around and saw the tensai and the Rikkai buchou came in. Ryoma felt his insides lightened up upon the sight of the two. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" he took his wine glance, signaling a toast.

Yukimura and Fuji did the same thing with their glasses. Both were sporting unreadable expressions.

"I would like to dedicate this toast to two very important persons in my life." Ryoma smiled a little. "They are the reasons why I'm still here." His eyes first settled on Fuji. "First is to my senpai, Fuji Syuusuke."

The guests' attention shifted to the tensai who was obviously surprised.

"If not for him, I would still be the same hard-headed kid he met a year ago. Behind that smile, Fuji-senpai had the heart and determination to reach out to a deranged kid like me and pull me out of the darkness." This time, the freshman was smiling broadly at him. "And could never thank you more for what you did to me, Fuji-senpai. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

He waited until the applause died down before his eyes settled on Yukimura.

The captain blinked back in surprise. It was the first time Ryoma looked at him like this. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"And next is to Yukimura-senpai," Ryoma smiled at him. The smile made Yukimura's heart skip a beat. "For being the only one who sensed my need when I hit rock bottom. I may not know him that much but what he did to me was enough to etch his face permanently in my memory."

'He remembered…oh god he still remembered!' Yukimura felt his eyes welling up with tears. 'No, I won't cry. I will not ruin this. I will not cry!'

"When everybody seemed to have turned their backs on me, he was the one who turned back to pick me up. When I thought everyone didn't seem to care about me, it was his voice and the warmth of his embrace that made me run back into the light."

Fuji placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. 'That's right Ryoma. You know by heart that he deserves this.'

"And lastly, if not for him, I would've died and not be with you people right now." Ryoma raised his glass. "Yukimura-senpai, you often attributed your life to me but all I did was a little business talk. It was you who saved your life. But I shall be forever indebted to you for you saved my life. If it wasn't for you, for your efforts to bring back the warmth that left my body, I would've been six-feet under. Thank you very much!"

"Cheers!"

Yukimura felt like he was the happiest boy on earth and for that he allowed one tear of joy to trickle down his cheek. 'I think you're right, James-kun. I think I know my place in Ryoma's life. And I that small space that I occupy, I will still be hoping for it to grow. I'm not angry anymore. At least I know that I shall never be invisible to him forever.'

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A/N: I know…very small ChouRyo. It's just that the ideas are flooding inside my head so rapidly that I don't know how to grab hold on them. Gomen!!!! Poor Yukimura! I didn't want to hurt him…but I had to.

James…yeah…James has a lot of problems. If you rate it, he comes next to Ryoma in the depression meter. You'll know more in the last installment of "Their Story". It'll go back to ChouRyo after this.

And yeah… I maybe incapacitated these week because it is the dreaded INJECTION WEEK!!!!! I have to puncture myself for the intradermal and intramuscular injections. Poor me!!!!!!

PLEASE MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	37. Their stories: He will be loved

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "She will be loved". Maroon 5 does.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics_ and those in _**bold italics**_ are for duets.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

More A/N: the following four short chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.

This is the last installment of Their Stories. I'll try not to dwell on the romance between Yuuta and James. I think I'll make it more of a friendship first. Or probably a one-sided Yuuta/James. You know how my little Firefly is, he's such a flirt. He loves to flirt.

WARNING!!!!! THIS CHAPTER HAS LEMON IN IT!!!!!!! I REPEAT! THIS CHAPTER HAS LEMON IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this is a long chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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James is pissed off. Oh hell yeah he is. First, Ryoma went off to some place without even an SMS to him and next, Sylvan left him all alone to deal with the employees of RJ.

'Sure I'm a people person but damn it!' James crushed the lighted cigarette he has in his hands. 'Why do they always leave me hanging?' his hands are callused enough to make him ignore the burn in his palm.

"James-sama, here are the inventory sheets for the past month," Tsubame laid out a think folder in front of him. Her cold eyes then landed on the crushed cigarette on the floor. "And I would just like to remind you, James-sama that smoking is strictly prohibited in this store. I do hope that Nanako-sama has advised you about this already."

James threw the girl a "mess-with-me-and-die" look. "Whatever." He took the folder and scanned the contents. 'RJ's been doing very well. I never thought that 5 grand that I lent to Na-chan could actually double.' He sighed and set the folder down. "I'll look into this tonight. Is there anything else that I need to know?"

The girl shook her head.

"Ok, I'll be out on a while." James swept past her, his long blonde tresses cascading off his shoulders. "I'll see you in a bit." The door shut closed.

Tsubame shook her head. "I already had one troublesome boss to worry about now I have three. What in the world was Nanako thinking?'

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Heavy panting could be heard from the bushes in a secluded part not far from RJ. Legs and arms intertwined as two entities tried to sate the burning lust in their bodies.

"Damn…" came a ragged whisper as he moved in and out of the frail blonde's heat. " I never thought you'd be this hot and tight!"

James bit his lip to keep himself from screaming in ecstasy as he felt this stranger brought him higher and higher with every thrust. "Show me…what you've got, Japanese boy."

With that the boy on top of him moved even faster, hitting his prostate with every thrust.

"H-harder!" James moaned. He could care less if his perfect hair would get dirtied by their sudden rough sex on a patch of grass as long as he could satisfy his itch. He didn't even know a thing about the person who's currently making him scream in passion.

"Ahh…so you want it hard then?" the brunette on top of him snickered and pinned his arms above his head, his head gripping tight at James's smooth, creamy wrists. "I never thought I'd find such a beautiful slut in this part of town!" with a maniacal laughter, he pounded harder into the restraining blonde.

"S-stop!" James gasped. "You're hurting me."

The other boy stopped for a while and smile at James. The boy shuddered a little at the lust-filled gleam in his eyes. "Stop? Why?" he used one elbow to pin both James' hands while his other hand came down and caressed James's aching sex.

James could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he arched to the boy's touch. He couldn't defeat the lust that conquered his body and soul. "O-onegai…"

"I don't think so, little one." James shut his eyes closed when he felt the boy licked his face. "You're too damn hot and horny to be left alone unsatisfied." The hand on James' erection stroked him harder, melting the blonde boy's resistance into a pile of goo. "And besides, I'm having so much fun here." Then he started moving inside James again. "I'm gonna make you come and scream so hard that you won't even remember your own name."

James didn't even care if his tears are now escaping his eyes unabashed. He bit his lip as he finally surrendered to lust and helplessness.

"H-harder!"

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Yuuta stayed behind in the tennis courts after hitting a few shots with the boys from Fudomine. He and some of his senpai-tachi came to the doubles courts by the park when they met up with Kamio and Shinji. They played a few sets and called it quits. He told them to don't wait up for him.

"I want to enjoy the beautiful sunset here!" Yuuta sighed as he collapsed on the bench. He opened the soda he bought earlier and watched the reddening horizon. What he didn't expect to see what a certain blonde boy coming out of the bushes. Yuuta's eyes narrowed when he realized that James still didn't notice him.

"To see him so disheveled is one thing but to see him limp around is another." Yuuta muttered to himself before he decided to call the blonde's attention. "Hey James! Over here!"

James' eyes darted around to see who's calling his name. To his dismay, he saw Fuji Yuuta sitting on a bench not far from him. 'Great! The last thing that I needed is someone nosing around my business.' He grimaced at the sophomore jogged towards him.

"Daijobou desu ka, James-kun?" Yuuta asked. Now that he's just a few feet away from the blonde kid he could clearly see prominent red marks on his exposed neck. He could also see leaves stuck in the blonde's usually pampered-to-death hair but what caught his attention the most were the bluish-black ring formation on both his wrists. "What happened?"

James glared at the boy, hoping he would scamper away. But then again he's not Ryoma. He doesn't have those terrifying lynx-like eyes that his Japanese best friend has. "It's nothing." He tried to hide his hands by putting them inside his pocket but Yuuta grabbed it first.

"Ouch!!!" James yelped, causing him to lose his balance. It was fortunate that Yuuta was fast enough to catch him. 'I sure won't be able to walk normally for a few hours.'

"Careful!" Yuuta blushed as little. "What happened to you anyway? Why do you have bruises like these?" he was pertaining to the blonde's wrists.

James snatched his hand away from the boy. "I said it's nothing!" he was getting annoyed. "Stop being a pest and leave me alone, ok?" he helped himself up but with great difficulty.

Yuuta studied the boy closely. And then he got it.

"_If Ryoma is the "Jock"…" Sylvan smirked. "…James is the "Walking Sex Machine." _

"What are you staring at?" James's annoyed voice snapped him off his daze. Yuuta grimaced at that thought. 'But as Ryoma's friend and his as well, I need to make him change.'

"You're weird." James muttered before he started to limp away.

"Don't tell me you just had sex in the bushes, here in the park for the entire world to see."

James spun around only to see the unfamiliar gleam on Yuuta's eyes and he couldn't understand why he's feeling a painful tug in his heart upon seeing it. 'I know that glance. It's the same glance some people were giving me. He hates me guts.' James took a deep breath, trying to figure out the right answer.

But before he could open his mouth to speak, Yuuta already grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. "What the hell got into you?! I know you love to flirt but my god James! People here are different from those in US!"

"What the fuck are you talking about!?" James protested, squirming in Yuuta's grip. "Stop man-handling me this instant!!"

"No!" Yuuta cried. 'I don't care what people would think of me now but what he's doing to himself is wrong!' he took a deep breath before meeting James' angry glare. "If you're doing this because you have a problem, you can talk to your friends. Ryoma's here and Sylvan as well. If you don't want to talk to them then I'm here to listen."

James grew still and stared up the sophomore in surprise. 'He's condemning me for my actions. I knew it!' James yanked himself from Yuuta's grip. "I'm doing it for nothing."

Yuuta's mind blanked out after hearing what James said. He could feel his body trembling from unexplainable anger. "So you love being used sexually by just anyone?! Wait let me guess, you don't even know the name of the boy you were with earlier right?" Yuuta scoffed and shot James a disgusted look. "I never knew you were such a slut, James Royd Thorrington."

James froze upon hearing his last statement. How many times had he been called a slut? Sure he loves to sleep around with boys and girls but it was him who's usually the top. He could feel his heart dropped into his gut, having it sliced and shredded off its place by Yuuta's own scornful words. Tears welled up his amazingly blue eyes and he forgot about the stinging pain his body has from the rough sex he had. He just felt his own blood turned ice.

"How dare you!?" James whispered in outrage, his fist flying towards the sophomore. Yuuta was staggering backwards upon the impact of the punch. If looks could be deceiving, he was clearly one of those foolhardy guys to feel for James' fragile feminine looks for the strength beyond the beauty was comparable to a kick from a horse.

James wiped the tears that trickled down his cheeks. 'No, I'm not going to show him how weak I am. I thought he cared but he's just like everybody else, a narrow-minded moron who talks first before understanding the situation.' He took a deep breath to calm his self down. 'He's just like all of them.'

Yuuta's mind was still clouded from the stinging pain in his cheeks. He could've thought his neck broke from the force of the blonde boy's punch. It took him a few seconds for his vision to clear. There is something nostalgic about the boy's profile now. He looked like one of those fallen angels who looked lost and broken. What he didn't expect was the blonde boy's response.

"Yes I'm a slut." James spat, his voice shaking in anger. "But I'm the best slut in town!" and with this he stormed off the courts.

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James' POV

Five minutes and 32 seconds passed by after I stormed off the park. I have never lost my temper like that in my whole 13 years of life nor was I humiliated the way Fuji Yuuta had done to me. Damn it! Why am I shedding tears for such a worthless airhead? Why do his words cut like knife? I've been called a slut before but I didn't even flinch. So why on earth I'm feeling like I'm the dirtiest creature on earth when those words came out of his mouth?

"James-sama, Sylvan-sama just arrived. He's waiting for you in the car." The girl named Chiyo told me. Ever since I returned to RJ, I deposited myself by the kitchen counter, looking at the ingredients disdainfully as they were being put away.

"Let him wait!" I snapped at her. The girl flinched. Man I feel sorry for her. She got burned by the merciless queen diva, ME. I bumped my hand against the edge of the counter and winced when it hit my bruised spot. Damn, the wristbands are doing their job of hiding it from the eyes of the world but that alone cannot erase the pain.

The door slammed open and in came Sylvan looking like a mad bull ready for bullfight. I swear I could see steam coming out of his nose.

"What?" I asked.

My ice-block friend came towards me and flicked hard on my forehead. "Idiot."

"Ouch! Watch it, asshole!" I protested.

"I will not tolerate such language, Royd." I froze. There's only one person in the world who calls me with that name. I hesitantly turned around, only to face the older version of my beloved grey-eyed friend.

"Uh, hi Uncle Florenz." I mumbled. I could feel the blood draining off my face. Talk about bad luck.

My uncle, stood mightily at 6 feet and 4 inches glared at me. Yikes!

"You are to get your things and get inside the car quietly," his cold piercing glare left me. Thank god. "And that goes for you too Sylvan. Move!"

Upon hearing that familiar bark I scrambled to get my bag from the office and wordlessly jumped into the limo. It was long after Uncle Florenz and Syl came in. great! Welcome to the most boring limo ride ever. I wonder if Uncle Florenz still has his funny bone.

"How's school? Tsubame said you left a few minutes ago. Where did you go?" I should be used to this kind of interrogation from Sylvan's dad. It was always the topic of discussion whether my parents raised us up well with their lax way of upbringing their children. This time however, was different. The instant he asked those questions, I could help but feel disgusted of myself once more.

"N-nothing much Uncle." I struggled to reply. "I just went out for a walk."

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Yuuta's POV

I winced as I touched the spot where James' fist landed. I still couldn't let go of the fact that a freshman was able to hit me. A rather feminine freshman too. I sighed. Hopefully the bruise would vanish before anyone would notice. Now, of all times, I found myself wishing I had my brother's long hair.

I slipped back into the dormitory without my senpai-tachi noticing. A bruised Yuuta will mean hell for Mizuki-senpai. There's no way my aniki would forgive him for that. I sighed. I couldn't help but feel guilty for what had transpired earlier. I crossed a line.

"_Yes I'm a slut." James spat, his voice shaking in anger. "But I'm the best slut in town!"_

What could've happened to him that made him into the boy that he is now? I do pity James. I always knew that behind that smile and those snappy comebacks, he's as messed up as Ryoma.

A rapt knock on the door interrupted my reverie.

"Yuuta?" Akasawa-buchou's head peeked in.

"Hai?"

"Dinner's ready."

I glanced at the closed and realized that it was already 6 pm. damn! Did I space out that long? I assessed my self and concluded that I'm not hungry. "It's ok, Buchou. I'm not hungry."

"Ok."

I rolled into my stomach as I fumbled with the knob of my stereo. I really don't understand what's going on. I can't help but feel like I have to help him but how to start on that, I have no idea.

_Beauty queen of only eighteen_

_She had some trouble with herself_

I could only imagine how he's feeling right now. I bit my lip. I do not have a bit of right to accuse him of something I know nothing of. I recalled the look in his eyes…it was of full loathing.

_He was always there to help her_

_She always belonged to someone else_

James Royd Thorrington…you are such an enigma. I do not have any idea why you and Ryoma became friends. You two are poles apart.

_I drove for miles and miles_

_And wound up at your door_

_I've had you so many times but somehow_

_I want more_

However you have this certain charisma on you. You draw people to you like helpless moths into the flame. What I don't understand is how a glaring flame could be hollow and cold inside.

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James' POV

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_She will be loved_

I sat alone under the sakura tree. I left the moment Uncle Florenz was done with his sermon about the use of curses. Shit! Why am I always the subject of bad karma? I sighed and laid down the canvass that I was working on for the past hour. The second Uncle Florenz stopped preaching about values, I snuck out of the house and decided to paint a little. The art shack that Uncle Jiroh ordered to be built for me is not finished yet so I'm out on the open with my art.

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

I turned the volume of the radio up, hoping to block any sound that would mess with the coherence of my already-deranged mind. I could feel the cold engulfing me once more. I've never felt so alone in my entire life.

"Ryoma has his own problems with Ohtori. Sylvan has a boyfriend now," I could feel the tears welling up my eyes. "I'm all alone, left to fend for myself."

_I know I tend to get so insecure_

_It doesn't matter anymore_

Carlos… his death devastated everybody. It almost killed Ryoma and it has reduced him to a living dead. Sylvan returned to his usual stoic demeanor. All that was left was me. I never voiced out my true feelings regarding my friend's death. Everyone's gaze was focused on Ryoma.

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies_

_It's compromise that moves us along, yeah_

_My heart is full and my door's always open_

_You can come anytime you want_

I felt something wet on my arm. Soon I was drenched as the evening rain poured down on me. I didn't bulge. I don't know why.

I brushed off the water that trailed over my face. I hugged my knees as I further sink into sadness. Carlos was my "other half". He's the one who was willing enough to listen to me. We were the best of friends, similar to how Ryoma and Sylvan enjoy their silent companionship.

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

I never felt the tears escaped my eyes. It had mixed with the rain that no one would notice. The cold air and water seeped through my bone as I reflected on my past actions. Maybe Yuuta was right. I am nothing but a slut. I don't know how it started. I just came to realize one day that I can't seem to satisfy myself of human contact.

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

I smiled bitterly. I remember now. My parents and siblings could only care less about my welfare. There was a point in our lives that I became invisible to them so I went to seek the comfort and warmth that I need in the arms of different people.

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

Ryoma was too caught up with Carlos. Sylvan is being the same silent jerk that he is. I have nothing. I amount to nothing without the warmth I get from the touch and caress of other people.

"Damn it! I'm such a nutcase!" I spat out. After Carlos died, nobody asked me how I was doing. I lost a friend too, a confidant.

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

I feel so alone. Oh Carlos, why'd you have to die and leave me all alone? I feel so…unloved.

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Yuuta's POV

_I know where you hide_

_Alone in your car_

_Know all of the things that make you who you are_

I wonder how he's doing right now. I hope he's not screwing another anonymous. I shiver involuntarily at the thought. I have to make it up to him tomorrow. I can sense his great need for a friend right now. Ryoma and Sylvan already have their own problems to deal with. He needs me.

_I know that goodbye means nothing at all_

_Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls_

I sat up, feeling a renewed determination in my heart. "I will make him realize that he's not alone." I looked out of the window and was a bit surprised to see that it's raining. I can only imagine how hard it is for him to cope up. He's the type of person who constantly in need of attention.

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

If Ryoma and Sylvan are unable to provide him that, I will.

_And she will be loved _

_(Please don't try so hard to say goodbye)_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved _

_(Please don't try so hard to say goodbye)_

_And she will be loved_

I sighed deeply. "I only wish he would let me"

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

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The rain mercilessly engulfed him. James sat limply and dejected under the saruka tree. The water also seeped through his canvass, destroying his creation. His eyes opened and azure orbs became alert as he fixed himself a fake smile.

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Try so hard to say goodbye_

"I am a rejected lover of my mistress named world. And she loves to torment me, leaving me out cold and hollowed-out."

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James' POV

"Ease up Matt." I scoffed. "We're part of this big circle of family and business. We'll eventually take command of the family businesses in the future. We know what to do."

"It's not that simple, Royd." I glared back when my "Perfect" brother glared at me. "You're performance here will become the basis for Daddy to decide if he's going to leave the managing of Blitz Japan on your hands."

"Don't underestimate us." Sylvan snapped at him. Oh how much I've wanted to jump in glee. Serves him right. Such a know-it-all!

Dominic sighed. "We're just warning you, Sylvan." I noticed he kept on tapping his chin with his pen. "Especially for your case, you need to master the ins and outs of hotel and restaurant management." Yeah, sounds like little Tyke is in trouble. "Given that Uncle Renz is already hell-bent in making you the future CEO of Clariel Shibuya. Bear in mind that that was one of the main reasons why he allowed you to stay here."

I scanned the apprehensive faces in front of me. Seriously… we've handled money before. It's not like I would watch it fly away. I didn't become a son of a multi-millionaire if I would.

"I think the person whom you really need to talk to is this kid here." Nanako eyed Ryoma. "Besides, he's the one who had stepped up as the leader of this small, young group of entrepreneurs. Ne Ryoma, tell us how you'll manage a store like this especially that you're in school."

I watched in interest as my friend gave us a blank stare. Gee…Ryoma's reduced to an idiot nowadays. I simply crumbled a piece of paper and threw it at him. Bull's eye!!!

…yikes…

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Yuuta's POV

I think I'm now the world's official scumbag. Yeah, I realized that after the piercing death glare James gave to me before they went inside for the meeting. Not only that…I think Lady Luck is mad at me as well for she made me sit three people that I wished I would never be close with at this moment.

"You know it's not healthy to keep your eyes closed like that all the time, Fuji." Yukimura-san told my brother. The comment distracted me for a while from my cold application session. Very true…having my brother's eyes closed like that gives me the creeps. I will be sent no warning with what's going on in the sadistic faculties of his working brain.

"Sure hell it is." I frowned a little. Akaya is not like this. He's bubbly and annoying, much like James. I sighed. James…

"Yuuta…" I snapped back intro reality only to meet my brother's piercing blue eyes. ""Did you get in a fight?"

Uh-oh…this is so not good now. "It's nothing aniki." I nervously replied. "It was just some misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about."

"Now, if you've got problems—"

Problems? Che! My eyes narrowed when I saw the familiar imposing figure of my aniki's ex-boyfriend looming over the table. Talk about problems. I glared at him. He better not hurt my aniki or I'll extract retribution in the most painful method.

"Looks like you've got one right here."

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James' POV

I stared at my blue-haired friend incredulously. Poor Akaya-senpai! He's fallen victim to the cold unfeeling monster I called best friend.

"So let me get this straight," I could sense Ryoma's distress. Why do problems love to come in bundles? "You're pushing Akaya-senpai away because you're afraid that the two of you might end up just like Choutarou and me?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "Now that's stupid." I froze however when Sylvan's steel-grey eyes pinned me.

"Shut up! How would you know of things like this when all you've had were one-night stands and flings?"

Ouch! That hurt. I could feel his words cut like knife. "Well there's one thing that I know of, you cold-hearted moron," this is too much. I stood up, anger sending ripples throughout my body. "I'm in a better position than you are because at least I know what human warmth is all about."

How dare he? He doesn't even check if I'm still ok and he speaks of me like that? So much for golden friendship. Thanks Syl…you don't fail in making me feel like world's biggest failure.

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I had to get out of there. I decided that too much love and kindness looming around me is bad for my health. After doing what Ryo had asked me to have Sylvan and Akaya-senpai make up, I went outside to take a short drag.

I was doing fine, minding my own business when Akaya's buchou interrupted me and swatted my cigarette away. Why do people always bother me with their problems when I for one thing have the same ail? I was nice talking to him. I'm quite happy that I helped him in some way. As I walked away from him, darkness and sadness loomed in my heart. It hurts. Why am I able to solve other people's problems when I can't event start on my own?

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Everybody in the club seemed happy except for one. Yuuta decided to stay in the shadows as the people around him lightened up to one another. He saw his brother came in with Yukimura and that started Ryoma's toast.

He sighed and downed the rest of his milk shake. Tsubaki was kind enough to take his empty glass and gave him a refill. One sure way to fight depression is to stuff your mouth with edible things.

"Yuuta-senpai."

The sophomore turned around and came face to face with Ryoma. "Hai?

"Have you seen James?" golden brown eyes looked up to him in concern. "I haven't seen him ever since we lead Akaya-senpai into the storage room."

Yuuta's heart fell into his gut. Guilt is so eating him right now. "listen Ryoma…there's something that I have to tell you.' With this, he pulled the brunette aside.

"What the matter?" Fuji asked, cut them off.

"I uh…" Yuuta stammered.

"I saw James-kun outside." Yukimura spoke up. "We had a chat and then he left."

Yuuta could feel his heart beat pounding in his ears. 'I so have got to tell him soon.'

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. 'Everything seems suspicious.' He returned his gaze to his sophomore friend. "Can somebody tell me what's going on here?"

Yuuta took a deep breath. All three pairs of eyes were on him. "I uh…James and I had a fight yesterday." He started. Fuji's eyes cracked open that instant. "He uh….he kinda gave me a punch in the face."

"What?!" all three whispered in outrage.

"It's my entire fault actually." Yuuta stammered. "I saw him coming out of the bushes looking disheveled." His eyes darted from one person to another. "I kinda discovered that he got laid with some stranger and I lost it."

Ryoma suddenly grabbed his arm, gripping it tight. "What happened?"

"Calm down Echizen." Fuji held the freshman off.

"Tell us…" Yukimura's pleading eyes got through him.

"I called him a slut." Yuuta said. "And he punched me for that."

"You bastard."

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James slumped on the nearest bench he could find. Never had he thought that having a recollection can be so tiring.

"I wonder if they already noticed me missing." James muttered to himself. He took out his cell phone and stared at the screen in bewilderment. It says "50 missed calls". He couldn't help but smile a little when he saw Ryoma's name on the screen. 'At least he cares.'

"James!!!!!"

The blonde's head snapped up upon hearing his name.

"Where the fuck are you?!" soon he realized that it was Ryoma's voice echoing throughout the park. "James!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He blonde couldn't help but feel giddy. He never expected for someone to come after him especially that he never told anyone of his whereabouts. "Ryo!!!!" soon enough, he saw Ryoma came around the bend. James stiffened a little when his friend came closer, a mix of anger, sadness, concern in his golden orbs.

"R-ryoma…"

The brunette didn't speak but he just grabbed James' arm and pulled the blonde into a tight embrace. "Don't…you…dare…do…this again, understood?"

James felt waves of emotions flooding his heart. He didn't even bother stopping himself as his lips quivered and his sapphire eyes welled up in tears. "R-ryo…"

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Yuuta sat apprehensively while Yukimura was trying to get Sylvan and Kirihara to come out of the storage room.

"Why did you do that, Yuuta?" Fuji asked his younger brother. A pair of anxious blue eyes looked up to him.

"I only want him to stop whatever he's doing." Yuuta's voice was reduced to a whisper. "I never meant to hurt him."

"Fuji-senpai, is there anything wrong?" Ohtori walked up to them, corner flashed in his eyes.

Fuji smiled sadly. "Everything's fine Ohtori-kun. I think its best that we wait out." Fuji placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "What we can do now is help Nanako-san with the guests. That's the least that we could do." He gave his brother a smile before ushering the other boy towards the crowd, leaving Yuuta to wallow in his misery.

"_I'm going out." Ryoma muttered, trying his best to control his anger. "I'll look for him. You guys help here while I'm gone." _

"_Demo—" _

_Ryoma paused. "Oh yeah, get Sylvan out of the storage room and tell him to look for us." _

"_Demo Echizen-kun, how will he find you?" Yukimura asked worriedly. _

_Ryoma smiled a little and sighed. "If ever one of us is lost or missing, Sylvan is the only one able to find us. Only he knows how to find us." _

"What happened? Mura-buchou told me there was some kind of a commotion." Kirihara muttered urgently. The younger Fuji didn't even notice the two of them approaching.

"I'm really sorry guys…"

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"I'm really sorry James." Ryoma sighed as he brushed James' hair gently with his hand. "I should've known but I let grief consume me and turn me blind from the rest."

James didn't say anything but still was sobbing silently into Ryoma's chest. He didn't care if Ryoma's expensive shirt had gotten soiled with his tears. He clung to his friend like he's life.

"I promise I'll make it up to you." Ryoma held James' face. He gently wiped the tears from his cheeks, causing more to escape from those blue eyes. "Tell me how to make it up to you."

James shook his head lightly. "It's ok…a-as long as you won't leave me…" he bit his lip as more tears escaped his eyes. "Don't leave me."

Ryoma felt like James' words squeezed the life out of his heart. The blonde looked so broken. 'I've been a selfish fool, thinking only of myself. Never did it occur to me that Carlos mattered to everyone as well. I only saw my grief.' He leaned in and gave a light kiss on the blonde's cheek before cradling him securely in his embrace. By looking at them, you'd suspect that they share a more-than-platonic bond.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

James stiffened at the sound of that voice. It sounds so familiar. He slowly looked up and felt his stomach churn upon the sight of the boy from yesterday.

"Ne, is that the hot blonde kid that you're telling us yesterday?" a rather ugly, duck faced teen who was standing beside the boy asked, giving James and Ryoma a hungry look.

"James, do you know this people?" Ryoma asked, breaking off from the blonde. He stood up; a dangerous air was around him as he positioned himself in front of his friend.

"R-ryo…he's—" James muttered.

"Oh you forgot already?" the brunette sneered. "I'm hurt. How could you forget about the person who made you scream in so much ecstasy yesterday?"

"Oooh…now I want to see more of that." his duck-faced friend replied, licking his lips. "But I like the brunette better."

A chill ran down James' spine. Not only that he has a bad feeling about this, he also dragged Ryoma along. What they didn't notice was the sound of footsteps.

"So how about it, sunshine…care for a foursome?" the older brunette was already advancing on the freshmen. "For I most likely want to taste that creamy skin of yours once more."

"James…" Ryoma whispered. He could sense James is freaking out. "Calm down…" he backed away when he saw the two slowly gaining on them.

"You better think twice before touching even a hair follicle of those two."

The older pair looked back, only to see Sylvan glaring at them murderously and in his hand was his priced Tang-shiao blade. Ryoma took advantage of the diversion and gave the taller brunette a hard kick in the groin. The two were taken by surprise and didn't notice Ryoma and James made a run for it and hid behind Sylvan.

"You bastards!!!!!" the duck-faced teen cried and lunged for the grey-eyed boy.

"Stand back." Sylvan ordered as he unsheathed his sword. "Since you already punched Fuji Syusuke's little brother, I could take out my anger on him." He lunged towards their attackers. 'However I'll make sure these two feel my anger to the last bit for trying to hurt my friends.'

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The festivities died down the moment Nanjiroh and the others arrived. Everybody hushed down when they started asking for the whereabouts of their three precious babies.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Florenz glared at Matt. "How can you let those three slip away?" he then turned towards Nanako. "I thought you promised us that everything is under control. That was the reason why we left everything in your hands." Nanako cowered under the glare of the older man.

"Now honey, maybe they just went out of a walk?" Cassandra tried to soothe her husband. "You know how those three hate formal events."

"Cassy's right." Rodrigo added. "They'll show up eventually."

Nanjiroh sighed and placed a big white square on the counter. "We wanted to surprise James. We found his new painting. We thought he discarded it because the rain last night ruined it but it actually turned out to be a magnificent abstract picture. We wanted to have this painting signed by him so that we could post this up there."

"Sumimasen minna-sama," Yukimura bowed. "We'll look for them right now."

"What if they get kidnapped?" Janet suddenly gasped. This earned a tide of murmurs.

"Don't over-react Janet." Rinko told her.

"But she has a point. What if something bad happened to them?" Estelle added to their apprehension.

"I'm gonna call the police—" Warren announced, grabbing his cell phone when…

"Really Dad you're embarrassing us."

They turned around and stared dumbfounded at the three culprits. Each one looked like they crawled out of a scuffle. Ryoma smiled at his two best friends held their hands firmly as the adults advanced on them.

"It's been quite a while since they looked at us this way." James whispered to Ryoma.

"Yeah… I miss Dad's constipated look especially reserved for our misdemeanors." Sylvan added.

"You want to make a run for it?" Ryoma asked them. The two smiled.

"Nah…"

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A/N: hell week is over!!!!!!! Saturday signaled the end of my summer classes. Gomen if I wasn't able to update promptly. You may have noticed that this is not a "short" chapter. I guess I miscalculated.

Chou/Ryou will return next chapter…the last two chapters. I'm kinda wondering if I will end this story. If I'm going to continue, it'll be a series of one-shots…I'm still trying to decide if I'll make a sequel out of this inclusive of a Ryo/OC. I was planning on making a YukiRyo with Heroes Crossover but you decided. What do you want me to do with this?

Oh well…James gets little attention in his family since his brother Rayver and sisters Hyacinth and Ericka took the limelight. That's how it started. The Unspeakables is divided into two…Ryo-Syl and James-Carlos. The two anti-social freaks hang out together while the two social butterflies and drama queens and cry babies prefer each other's presence. In Ryo/Carlos's case, the general rule is applied: "Opposite attracts"

Oh yeah…Chou-chou and Neko-chan are not yet officially back together. They're merely acting civil to each other.

MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	38. it's all coming back to me now

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "It's all coming back". Meatloaf does (I'm using Meatloaf version). I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

And I'm making up the name of Fuji's father. Heheheh

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Two weeks came like a blur in their memories. Rehearsals and tennis practices were held intensively, almost seeping the life out of the players. The seniors have their own practices, as well as the juniors. Oh yeah, Yuuta and James made up. It was a spectacle actually for Fuji good-naturedly warned the blonde about hurting his baby brother. Almost everyone expected James to cower however he met the tensai's intense blue eyes with the arrogance that is unique to the Unspeakables and said,

"_Your brother better not call me names again or I will not hesitate hitting somewhere that will be really painful."_

It was expected that war shall break out but the tensai just laughed and ruffled James' hair. Clearly Fuji's really fond of the blonde kid.

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Sylvan came into the kitchen only to find James stuffing his mouth with chips.

"How many times do I have to tell you to lay off the chips?" Sylvan asked before grabbing the offensive food from James.

"Hey!" James protested.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust before he dumped the bag into the garbage can. "Do you realize how much useless calories you're getting from those things?"

James pouted. "They went out. Mom left a note telling us to do the groceries but I'm feeling peachy today." He slid off his chair and went to grab a carton of milk from the fridge. "We're out."

Sylvan sighed and went to check the fridge himself. James has the tendency to be over-dramatic sometimes. He found out though that his blonde friend was not lying. He turned around when he heard the backdoor opened.

"Ryo! I'm starving! Can we get pizza?" James glomped at the brunette. Ryoma, used to James' antics, sighed and left the blonde clinging to him as he walked towards Sylvan. "Now I know why I'm not getting taller. Your clinging suppresses my growth plates."

"We're out?" Ryoma asked. Sylvan opened the door wider for him. "I guess we are," He straightened up as James slid off him. "Come, we're doing the groceries."

"But Ryo…we don't have our ATV's here." James protested.

"Do you want to starve or not?" Ryoma snapped at him.

"Fine."

It was not long after that the three were out on the streets.

"Jamie, stop sulking," Ryoma muttered. "I thought you love doing the groceries."

James pouted. "I don't know. Maybe because I'm still hungry and Syl threw away my chips." He gave Sylvan an accusing glare that the blue-haired boy returned.

"Don't worry," Ryoma placed his arms around their shoulders. "We'll cook up something later." They did a side-trip to the ATM machine.

"Why didn't they check the fridge before leaving?" James complained while waiting for Ryoma to withdraw some money.

"I think they did," Sylvan muttered. "That's why they left a note. Maybe they're too lazy to do it themselves. You know how Japan's atmosphere turns them into lazy bums."

Ryoma pocketed his wallet and gave them a smile. "Come on! Our parents are working very hard. Relaxation is the only thing that we can give right now."

James let out a soft wail.

"Stop complaining or else I won't cook for you." Ryoma said.

"Yeah listen to Ryo, Jamie." Sylvan nodded. "I'm not ready to eat charcoals and water you graciously whipped by yourself."

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"Honey, do you want to come with Ka-san to do some groceries?" Saime peeked into Ohtori's room, finding her son fiddling with his violin-shaped picture frame. "Honey?"

Ohtori snapped back into reality and stared at his mom like she's some kind of an alien.

"What's wrong, Chou-kun?" Saime asked worriedly. She went inside and sat beside her son.

"Nothing Ka-san," Ohtori sighed. "The radio stopped. I'm wondering what's wrong."

Saime smiled at her son's behavior. "Do you want to drop by the Echizen's to get it fixed?"

Ohtori's eyes widened as he gape at his mom. "Ka-san! That is too humiliating! I'll just take this to the mall and have it fixed." He couldn't help but frown a little. 'If Ryoma finds out that it's not working anymore, he might not want to talk to me.'

He heard his mother sigh. "Ok, we'll drop by an electronic shop later. Come, Ka-san needs some help with the groceries."

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"Ryoma…"

He blinked a couple of times.

"Ryoma…"

'I know that voice.' Ryoma mused. Then he left a hard flick on his forehead. "Ouch!"

"You're spacing out. We've been standing in front of the flour section for four minutes now." Sylvan's face came into his view. "People are staring."

Ryoma's mind and sight came into focus and soon he realized that the three of them are standing in front of the flour bags, staring at them stupidly.

"I told you I didn't want to go." James scoffed.

"Sorry." Ryoma muttered before picking up a bag.

"_Chou-chou, can you please get me one white bag of flour please?"_

"You're spacing out again." Sylvan snapped his fingers, making Ryoma blink vigilantly.

"What's with the flour anyway?" James asked, getting annoyed. "You're been staring at it for a few minutes now."

"N-nothing." Ryoma muttered before pushing their cart.

"Oh come on! I so know you, Ryo." James wasn't going to let him off so easily.

"James…" Sylvan gave the blonde a warning glance.

"It's nothing really." Ryoma told them. "It's just that this is where I took Choutarou for a grocery once."

James smiled shrewdly despite the fact that Sylvan's already eyeing him menacingly. "Ahh so you're reminiscing your happy days?"

Sylvan can sense Ryoma's pensiveness. He pulled at James' hair, hoping the blonde would stop teasing their friend.

"Ow!" James cried. "That was uncalled for!"

"Shut up!" Sylvan snapped at him. He smiled at the brunette sympathetically. "Its ok Ryo…we understand."

Ryoma smiled back before they started unloading their items on the counter. 'Memories kept on growing in intensity. I don't think there's a minute that I never thought of Choutarou.' He sighed. 'I do hope he's in the same state as I am.'

"That's 8,623 yen."

Ryoma absentmindedly gave her the money and left Sylvan to collect the change. They went outside with their purchases still in the grocery store's cart.

"Maybe we overdid it a little." Sylvan muttered while eyeing their overflowing cart. "You don't suppose we're commuting home with all this, right?"

"I'm taking care of it." James told them, obviously talking to someone in his cell phone.

"Ryoma?"

Both golden and grey eyes looked up to see Ohtori and his mother about to enter the grocery store. Talk about coincidence.

"Oh it's you." James muttered upon seeing the tall boy then immediately went back to the person on the line.

Ryoma was out of words. He just stood there, gazing into those hypnotizing hazel orbs. Ohtori was doing the same. Never did he expect to bump into them.

"Ryo-kun!" Saime smiled and gave the perturbed boy a hug. "It's nice to see you."

Ryoma was roughly dragged out of his reverie. "Uh…hi Sai-baa-san." he peered past the woman and saw Ohtori smiled awkwardly at him, his cheeks turning pink a little. It was then that Ryoma noticed the paper bag in his hands.

"Choutarou came along so he can get his picture frame fixed." Saime told Ryoma. That comment made the brunette gaze questioningly at his ex-boyfriend. Sylvan, on the other hand was quietly observing them.

"Fixed?" Ryoma asked, walking towards the sophomore. "Is it broken?" he tugged at Ohtori's hand that clutched the bag tighter.

"Uh…it's not what you think it is Ryoma," Ohtori stammered, flushing furiously. "It just wouldn't play this morning but I know for sure that it didn't fall."

"Show me." Ryoma told him. There was a certain gleam in the boy's eyes that made Ohtori give in.

"I'll be going in, Choutarou." Saime waved at her son, clearly pleased on how the situation was progressing. "I'll see you inside." And with this, she left her poor son in the presence of his ex-boyfriend.

James was still on the phone while Sylvan stood beside Ryoma as the brunette inspected the delicate object. Ohtori stood anxiously while Ryoma scrutinized every nook and cranny of the picture frame. 'I don't want him to know that it's broken! It's his gift to me for our monthsary… he'll be mad.' Ohtori mentally berated himself.

"It seems like it just ran out of battery." Sylvan announced.

Ohtori gaped at him. "Honto ni?" He let out a sigh of relief. "I thought it was broken."

Ryoma smiled inwardly. "Its battery will not be easy to come by commercially. I'll take this home. I might have some left." He gazed up Ohtori with a knowing smile.

"Our ride's here!" James announced. A black SUV stopped in front of him and a man wearing a Clariel badge stepped out.

"Uh…ok." Ohtori nodded. He held the paper bag open for the brunette. When Ryoma returned the frame inside the bag, his hand brushed against Ohtori's. He bit his lip as a sudden rush of warmth went up his arms. 'I miss this kind of feeling.' He mused. He concluded that Ohtori felt the same as the sophomore's cheeks flushed crimson.

"Ryoma!" James called again, getting annoyed.

"I-I gotta go." Ryoma stammered. Before he could actually turn around, Ohtori grabbed his hands, holding onto it firmly. He could feel the tingles running up his spine.

'God! It feels so nice holding him like this. It had been an eternity since I last held his hands this way. I don't want to let go.' Ohtori could feel his heart speeding up when Ryoma's hands tightened around his as well.

"What's taking him so long?!" James muttered in frustration. He was about to call Ryoma's attention once more when a hand grabbed him and pulled him back.

"Quit it James." Sylvan eyed him menacingly. "They both deserve some time."

Ryoma waited for Ohtori to say something next but the sophomore smiled at him instead. Had it been a normal smile, Ryoma would've been breathing right now but Ohtori's smile shook him to the core and made him held his breath.

"Thank you." Ohtori whispered softly that only Ryoma could hear.

Ryoma smiled back at him, sending Ohtori into euphoria. "You're welcome." The brunette whispered back. "I'll give this back to you tomorrow night." And with this, he hesitantly withdrew his hand from that comforting grip and walked away.

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"Is everything ok?" James cuddled up to Ryoma. They got stuck in the traffic on their way home.

"Yes…" Ryoma sighed, keeping his eyes glued at the window.

"You really miss him huh?" James suddenly spoke up, catching Sylvan's attention as well. Ryoma looked down to meet both azure and grey orbs and held his two friends closer.

"You don't know how much, Jamie." Ryoma muttered in reply. He looked out into the streets once more and sighed. 'You don't know how much I miss him.'

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Sunday came and they barely realized it. Soon they found themselves in their casual clothes and seated inside the redesigned Island Cove. It was surprising that they all fit inside, given that they have their parents in tow.

"It's nice meeting you, Echizen-san." Fuji's father shook hands with Nanjiroh. It was a big surprise for the Fuji siblings to have their father home for such event. "I'm very thankful that my boss allowed me to come home for this and I will be staying for Syusuke's graduation"

Fuji and Yuuta stood behind their father in all smiles.

"Yuuya! I'm really glad you are able to come!" Warren said. They turned to acknowledge the presence of the magnate.

"Me too, Dancho."

Warren turned to smile at the Fuji siblings. "I was lucky to be able to convince your workaholic father to come home."

"Thank you, Thorrington-san!" the two cried in unison.

On the other side of the room, Ryoma was busy supervising the drinks and the food since his parents are busy mingling with the guests.

"Make sure that you keep everything in the right temperature." He reminded Kasumi.

"Hai!"

Kirihara burst out of the kitchen. "Everything's under control inside, Ryoma. I've checked the drinks as well and we have enough to see us through the night."

"Good." Ryoma nodded in approval. It was then that Yuuta came towards them.

"You wouldn't believe it!" Yuuta said giddily.

"Enlighten us." Kirihara muttered.

"My father actually came home for this event!" Yuuta announced. It seems that he really is happy. "And we just found out that he is working for James' father!"

"Wow…" Ryoma muttered. More lights illuminated the place and soon a faint music was heard in the background.

"Everything's set." Sylvan said, coming from behind.

"Where's James?" Ryoma asked. The grey-eyed boy pointed to the direction of a small crowd at the left corner of the room.

"He's being the social butterfly that he is." Yuuta muttered while watching James converse with different people.

"Remember…" Ryoma said before walking towards the stage. "That's his gift."

Ryuzaki came up front and announced that dinner has started. Seeing that the staff seemed capable enough to handle the event without him bossing them around, Ryoma took his seat on their designated table together with the Ohtori family and the Fuji Family.

During dinner, he realized that he won't be able to eat properly with the Fuji brothers teasing him and Ohtori glancing at him time after time. 'It's a health hazard sitting with these people.' He mentally concluded. It was his parent's turn to make round since they are the owner of the establishment so he was left all alone to deal with their tablemates.

"I think I may have seen Echizen-kun once." Yuuya said during his conversation with Kaoru. This got the brunette's attention. "It was three years ago I think. He was busy running to and fro the building."

"Really Tou-san?" Yuuta asked, eyed the freshman curiously.

"Yes." The oldest Fuji smiled at the freshman. "I think he was busy running away from something or someone."

"So we've heard that he's a little mischief-maker." Saime winked at Ryoma.

"It was nothing." Ryoma replied. "We just love annoying the security department. They're too lax."

"I caught him once and locked him inside the men's room." Yuuya smiled at the brunette who frowned in return.

The rest of the occupants laughed at the revelation.

"He's busy messing up the offices so I went to teach him a little lesson. They never played in the building after that." Yuuya added.

"You're really a troublesome kid, Echizen." Fuji told Ryoma.

"I prefer it to be quoted as "held captive"." Ryoma muttered in response, causing the table to erupt in laughter.

Ohtori just sat quietly between his parents. No matter how much he itched to sit beside Ryoma, he held himself back. There are a lot of things bothering him right now and adding to the pressure his Neko-chan is on might only aggravate it.

'I still have the duet to do later.' The sophomore mused. 'I still don't know who I am singing with. I'm really nervous now. The song is too emotional that I feel a bit uncomfortable singing it with a stranger. I'd prefer Ryoma to be my partner. The song is perfect for us.'

Right that moment Ryoma was exchanging SMS with Sylvan and James.

(Poor Ryoma… now I know where Fuji-senpai got his sadistic streak.) James replied.

(How could I forget how he personally carried you to the restroom and locked the door?) Sylvan said in his message

(Quit it you two! Can't you see how much I'm suffering here?) Ryoma sighed and pocketed his cell phone.

"Is everything ok?" Rinko asked upon returning to the table.

"Yes." Ryoma replied. 'I still have that song later and I still do not know who the hell I'm going to sing with. Damn! I hate being left out in the woods.'

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Dinner was done and the tribute began. Everyone was a bit surprised by the kind of performance the kids are presenting to them. Not in their dreams they have imagined Tezuka and the others dancing and singing. Tennis was their life. Who could've thought they'd have so much talent?

It was not long after when Sakaki-sensei tapped Ohtori's shoulders, signaling his upcoming song number. Ryoma saw how his father smiled when Ohtori stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ryoma asked when his father stood up as well.

"Oh…just somewhere." Nanjiroh replied while staring at his son ruefully. He then ushered Ohtori towards the dance floor where a piano was waiting.

"Wow…Ohtori's going to sing."

"No problem about that. When it comes to music, he's Hyotei's number 1."

"I wonder what he'll be singing tonight."

"Looks like Ohtori-kun is finally getting the limelight on his own." Fuji said while watching the two moved across the floor.

Ohtori, on the other hand, was nervous as hell. He could feel his palms sweating and his knees trembling. It would've been ok if he'll be singing for the kids only but the parents are here. He caught Sakaki-sensei's eyed and cringed a little. 'Failure is not an option.' He took a deep breath and faced his audience.

"Good evening everyone." He hoped really hard that his voice wasn't shaking. "I hope you'll enjoy the song that we'll be singing for you tonight."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed when he saw his father grinning like a mad dog while he positioned himself by the piano. It was then that he felt a small tug at his thigh. He looked up and saw Ryuzaki-sensei looming over him, holding a microphone under the table. 'Oh no…'

"We because I will be singing with somebody though I still don't know who she is. I hope that you'll enjoy this little gift from us." Ohtori finished and it was a signal for Nanjiroh to start playing the piano.

Ryoma, Sylvan and James gaped at each other upon hearing the first notes of the song. The brunette looked up at his coach who in turn just smiled at him.

"You have one chance to fix everything," Ryuzaki whispered in his ear. "Don't mess it up." and with this, she left the poor stricken boy.

Ohtori took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. 'I'll just imagine that it's Ryoma I'm singing with and for.'

_There were nights when the wind was so cold_

_That my body froze in bed_

He closed his eyes and felt his body relax. In his head he pictured Ryoma's face, hoping that his song will be able to seek out the freshman for real. He has been practicing this song with Sakaki-sensei and Nanjiroh. They alternately took the place of female singer but their efforts still won't touch his heart.

_If I just listened to it_

_Right outside the window_

He held his breath, waiting for his mysterious partner to play his part. However, when he opened his eyes, he just stood there, dumbstruck when he realized who his partner is. Soon he found himself trembling, craving for that very person whose eyes are glued to him as he slowly walked towards the stage.

_There were days when the sun was so cruel_

_That all the tears turned to dust_

Ryoma could feel his heart wanting to burst from his chest. He never expected this. All those weeks of practice with Sylvan as the one posing for the male singer seemed to melt away in his head. All that his senses could register now is Ohtori standing in front of him, singing the song, which he had been wishing for weeks to be sung with him.

_And I just knew my eyes were_

_Drying up forever_

'All those wishful thinking…I never thought it would come true.' Ryoma mused as he gazed up to the sophomore who looked just as surprised as he is. He took a deep breath, knowing that the union of their voices would be hazardous for him.

_I finished crying in the instant that you left_

True to what Ryoma predicted, he could feel the chills crawling up his skin. Ohtori was in no better state either. If he hadn't been trained to perform in public, he would've stopped sing by now and be mesmerized by the person before him.

_And I can't remember where or when or how_

"Oh wow…" Fuji breathed. "I never expected it to be like this."

Yuuta gazed at the two possible culprits, Ryuzaki-sensei and Sakaki-sensei. "Man they did pull a very devious plan." He glanced back at the couple on the dance floor. 'There won't be enough progress if no one pinches in to give the two of them a push.'

_And I banished every memory you and I had ever made_

Ohtori could feel his heart beating so hard in his chest. It has been beating so hard that it could blow off any minute. Gold met gold in a smoldering gaze. 'All those dreaming…this is the realization of it. I still can't believe this is happening.' He brought his hand up between the short distance between them. Dare he?

_But when you touch me like this…touch me like this_

He almost forgot that they're supposed to perform when Ryoma tentatively touched his palm with his fingers. The contact instantly brought a searing feeling into his flesh. 'This is different. This is dream come true.'

_And if I hold you like that…hold you like that_

_It's so hard to believe but it's all coming back to me_

Tezuka caught Yukimura's glance and nodded. This was what everyone wished for the two…to be reunited.

'I couldn't help but feel guilty that I had caused this mess. If there's a way to have full redemption, it is to support whatever they wish.' Tezuka frowned as little upon remembering what happened.

_And it's all coming back_

_It's all coming back to me now_

_There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light._

'That's right Echizen, Ohtori…you had long been denied of what should have been the best times of your lives. Don't hold back.' Yukimura couldn't help but shed a tear. 'Don't worry about those people whom you might hurt. We'll manage. Life works that way.'

_There were nights of endless pleasure_

_It was more than any laws allow_

Ryoma found himself grasping Ohtori's hand firmly. Emotions are running free and there's no point in holding it back anymore. 'This is what I've been yearning for. I'm not going to be the same idiot as I was and let him go again.' He smiled at the sophomore, finally letting all his inhibitions go. 'I will never let you go again.'

_Baby, baby_

_If I kiss you like this…kiss you like this_

_And if you whisper like that…whisper like that_

_It was lost long ago_

_But it's all coming back to me_

They broke their eye contact and turned to the audience, with their hands never letting go. All that they could see are smiling faces of friends and families. Everyone is happy for them.

"My, so it is true that Ohtori Kaoru's son is..." Atobe placed a hand over his father's.

"Now father…we shouldn't meddle into other people's business." His young heir muttered. "They're happy that way." He was glad that the lights dimmed so that no one would notice the scowl on his lips.

_If you want me like this…want me like this_

_And if you need me like that…need me like that_

_It was dead long ago_

_But it's all coming back to me_

"Ne, I've never seen Ryoma so happy." James said without taking his eyes off at his friend. "It looks like he found himself a new source of life."

Sylvan reached out and ruffled his golden locks. "That is to be expected when you're finally able to be with those you love."

James pouted a little. "Sylvan,"

"Hmmm?"

Sapphire eyes met soft grey ones. "When will I be able to achieve what Ryoma have?"

Sylvan couldn't help but smile at his friend's innocent question. "In due time, James. But for now, let's celebrate with our friend, ok?"

_It's so hard to resist_

_And it's all coming back to me_

_I can barely recall_

_But it's all coming back to me now_

Ohtori tugged Ryoma to look at him once more, enjoying the way those golden orbs shimmered in the darkness. 'I lost you once and now I have found you.' He gave in to temptation and took his hand from Ryoma's to caress his cheeks. 'We have weathered the roughest and darkest days of our lives. It is only fitting that the world rejoices with us tonight.'

Ryoma's breath got caught in his throat when Ohtori gently caressed his face. Everything came flooding back to his mind: the kiss in the balcony, his flight back to America, the training camp…everything and all seems like little glass globes in his memory, nothing more. 'Choutarou is here…I need nothing more.'

_But when you touch me like this…touch me like this_

_If I kiss you like that…kiss you like that_

_It was gone with the wind_

_But it's all coming back to me…now_

"I never thought Sumire-san and Sakaki-san will be able to pull this one off." Rinko said, a smile never left her lips the whole time.

"So you mean this is planned?" Fuji asked.

"Of course!" Saime replied. "Those two wouldn't let us meddle directly in their relationship so we planned this to speed things up."

Kirihara, who sat not far from their table, shook his head. 'Ma…these parents sure are scheming.' He couldn't help but smile though as he observed their handiwork. 'But I had to admit…it worked.'

_And it's all coming back_

_it's all coming back to me now_

_There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light._

_There were nights of endless pleasure_

_It was more than any laws allow_

The emotions are sky high and at an alarming level. With his father playing the piano, those people who mattered to them most and with Ohtori standing beside him, sharing the music that they have created felt like heaven from Ryoma. 'If Carlos is watching me right now…I wonder is he's happy for me too.' He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the melody escalated to its peak.

_Baby, baby, baby_

_When you touch me like this_

_And when you hold me like that_

_It was gone with the wind_

_But it's all coming back to me_

Then everything around them disappeared. No more colored lights and audience. There they stood in the same plane, basked in the moon's ethereal glow and covered by a canopy of countless stars. This is how they started. Who knew that the day they found each other in the little music shop will mark the start of a love so profound that not even words could describe it? It all started from a need to be cherished and a passion for music…and they began.

_When you see me like this_

_And when I see you like that_

_Then we see what we want to see_

_All coming back to me_

'Neko-chan…'

'Chou-chou…'

_The flesh and the fantasies_

_All coming back to me_

_I can barely recall_

_But it's all coming back to me now_

And then they were one. Two different people…opposite in many ways yet they form something which no one could distinguish which is which. Echizen Ryoma: a cocky, arrogant new comer who had his heart broken into many pieces. Ohtori Choutarou: a simple, gentle-hearted boy who's willing to give up everything for those he loves. Music: it seems like it's just composed of a few notes stringed together yet it bonded these two entities into an inseparable whole. Who are they now? Simply…it turned out that one cannot exist without the other.

_If you forgive me all this…forgive me all this_

_If I forgive you all that…forgive you all that_

Neither of them noticed that tears are falling freely from their eyes. So much emotion…pain…love…sadness…everything seemed to vanished when for that last time, during that song, gold met gold… fingers intertwined and never seemed to let go.

_We forgive and forget and it's all coming back to me now_

_It's all coming back to me now_

They didn't even notice that everybody stood up and gave them a standing ovation. They're ears turned deaf to their applause.

_We forgive and forget and it's all coming back to me now…_

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A/N: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know what to say…I'm speechless…or rather wordless in my case. I don't know…I do not have any explanation…I'm too caught up. I did my best to make this chapter the BEST or if not, one of THE BEST chapters. I hope you feel the same way as I do…

PLEASE MAKE ME REALLY HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next chapter is the last chapter…I'm still not decided if I'm going to continue this with one-shots or create a whole new sequel. By doing so I might jeopardize my plans for the Yuki/Ryo.

PLEASE!!!! (Goes down into her knees and pleads) HELP ME DECIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And again...

PLEASE MAKE ME REALLY HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	39. Here I am

A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual…I don't own the song, "Here I am". Bryan Adams does. I may change the lyrics a bit; you know like turning she to he to be more appropriate...

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, _italics _for flashbacks and _italics_ are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in **bold**. And the scenes from the video tape will be in _italics._

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

This is the end of this story. thank you all so much for supporting me from the beginning until the end. I had a lot of fun doing this. I never imagined I'd have more than 100 reviews…thank you so much. As I explore on new horizons, I shall bring with me the pieces of advice, the lovely and demanding reviews and the flesh-searing flames. I hope that you will still support me in my new endeavors. I may be growing up…however this heart of mine shall always have its childish side that will ever compel me to write more.

Gosh…didn't imagine myself crying but here I am… oh well…this one is short…perfect for my ending.

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Ryoma took a deep breath, wanting to fill his lungs with the refreshing summer breeze. Despite of all the ruckus that the Nationals, and the Senior's Graduation created, he wanted to take a minute and enjoy the gentle howl of the wind, the soft chirping of the birds, the sweet scent of the flowers in bloom, the—

"Hey baka, quit the sentiments already!" James' annoyed voice shattered his inner sanctum.

"You look stupid standing there and smiling like an idiot, Ryoma." Sylvan added. Ryoma turned around and spotted them leaning outside the of the car's window. "We're already late for Choutarou-senpai's appointment."

Ryoma groaned and stomped towards the car. "Why do you always ruin my day?" he muttered before joining his two best friends inside the car.

"Well duh! We have to get to Hyotei by 4 pm or else we'll miss the ceremony." James rolled his eyes. "Seriously!"

"Fine, fine!" Ryoma raised his hands to signal his surrender.

Sylvan studied his friend for a while and shook his head. 'You've changed so much Ryoma. By looking at you now, who would've thought that you went through so much these past years? If Carlos would be here right now, he'd be very proud of you. His death wasn't wasted.' His reverie was cut short when a hand tapped his shoulders.

"Ne, someone asked me out for a date today," James blushed. "Should I say yes or no?"

Ryoma's eyebrow arched up. "You're asking our opinions now? Wow…God must've decided that you end your flirtatious ways."

Sylvan couldn't help but chuckle when James threw a pillow at the brunette. "Who's the poor—I mean lucky person?"

James crossed his arms across his chest and flipped his hair off his shoulders.

"Well?" the two prompted.

James blushed a little. "It's Fuji-senpai."

Silence…silence…and more silence…

"NANI?!?!?!?!"

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The sun painted the sky a pinkish hue as the students, parents and teachers started to depart from the auditorium. Hyotei Gakuen's Passing of Duties is anything but grand. A ceremony that only took 15 minutes for Seishun Gakuen turned into two hours for Hyotei. Atobe sure wanted his departure from the throne to be grand despite the fact that he's still missing out on the latest hairstyle.

"Omedatou, Monkey King." Ryoma called behind his back.

Irked by the name used and of the person who used it, Atobe forced himself a smile. "Be awed by presence Echizen Ryoma!" as usual, he was never able to erase that. "I may be hairless and departing however I shall extract my vengeance next school year!!!"

"Wow…he really took it to heart." Sylvan muttered while watching Kabaji hold off Atobe from mauling the brunette. "And to think that he was smitten with Ryoma for once."

Oshitari and Gakuto came up behind him. "Oh well…there's always a limitation to love." The Hyotei tensai muttered.

"And for Atobe it's his hair." Gakuto added.

"Poor thing!" James scoffed.

It was not long after that Ohtori came between the two bickering players and carried Ryoma off.

Ryoma couldn't help but smile a little at the soft tingle that went up his spine when Ohtori held his hand. He wasn't the one to complain when Ohtori ushered him inside the flower garden.

"Wow…" Ryoma whispered when he noticed that he was soon surrounded by roses…lots and lots of roses. "This place is nice Chou-chou." He caught Ohtori's gaze and couldn't help but blush a little.

"I've always been meaning to take you here, Ryoma." Ohtori smiled at his boyfriend. "This is Hyotei's Mystical Rose Haven. I'm sure you have heard of it."

Ryoma's eyes widened in realization. "Ohh…so this is it!" he turned around to appreciate the beauty surrounding him. "I never imagined that this place still exists! I thought this was destroyed from the earthquakes and all!"

Ohtori pulled the freshman into his embrace, taking in Ryoma's scent and the flowers as well. It was an intoxicating combination. "Atobe-buchou's regime aimed for its full restoration. This garden has been a part of the Lily-crest Community. This is something that we have that the four other schools don't."

Ryoma smiled and buried his head into Ohtori's chest. "So the books never lied about its effects on lovers, huh?" He could feel Ohtori's slight chuckles.

"What?" The sophomore held his lover's face. "That it pulls lovers closer and denotes eternal happiness? I never thought you'd believe such myths, Ryo-kun."

Ryoma smiled broadly before tightening his arms around the tall boy. "I'm feeling the effects right now."

They stood still, just holding each other for a while.

"You know, I really think that I still don't deserve you." Ryoma suddenly spoke up, earning a slight frown from the sophomore. His frown was soon erased when he saw Ryoma smiling up to him, his eyes telling him something contrary to what he just said. "But I cannot thank God enough when He decided to give you to me otherwise."

Ohtori leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Ryoma's lips. "Same here." he was about to kiss Ryoma again when the latter leaned in and captured his lips first for a deep, passionate kiss.

'I am but an empty shell without you, Ryoma. Your effect on me might not be as striking as I had been to you but I swear to God it's the same. I can't thank God enough for making me deserving for you.' Ohtori mused as he clung to their kiss.

They broke the kiss to take in some air. It was then that Ryoma smiled mischievously at Ohtori.

"So…how's the new and the first fukubuchou of Hyotei Gakuen, Ohtori-san?" the freshman asked, as if he's doing an interview with Ohtori.

The sophomore couldn't help but chuckle. "Well I'm pretty flattered. I never imagined Sakaki-sensei's faith on me would be that great."

"So we'll see each other next year once the tournament season starts." Ryoma muttered.

"Yeah." Ohtori smiled. "You better not play doubles against me though." He winked at Ryoma.

"And why is that?" the freshman gave him a challenging glare.

"Because…" Ohtori grinned. "I'll give you a hell of a time by flirting with you all throughout the game."

Ryoma chuckled before he pulled Ohtori for another kiss. "Bad Chou-chou." He muttered against his lips.

They got tired of standing so they decided to take their lovey-dovey moments into the center of the garden, the Rose Pavilion.

"Wow! And a piano here as well! This looks like it's taken right out of a fairytale book." Ryoma said before he deposited himself in front of the piano. Ohtori on the other hand just smiled at his boyfriend and stood leaning on the piano's side.

"You now how we started by you playing a song in the piano?" Ohtori asked.

Ryoma met his hazel orbs and smiled at the memory. "I remember. Why?"

Ohtori smiled and sat beside Ryoma. "Will you sing me a song once more? Just to mark a new chapter, a new beginning in our lives?"

Ryoma nodded and gave Ohtori one last kiss. "Ok. Listen very carefully." And with this, his skillful fingers started doing its magic. The opening notes felt like gentle hands that started to massage Ohtori's tensed muscles. He sighed deeply at how Ryoma's music always sends tingles up his spine

_Here I am…this is me_

_There's no where else on earth I'd rather be_

Ohtori opened his eyes only to be caught in a smoldering gaze with Ryoma's gold ones.

_Here I am…it's just me and you_

_And tonight we make our dreams come true_

'You are my dream come true Ryoma.' Ohtori leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Ryoma's head. 'All the while I though I was just some ordinary kid who likes music and is average in tennis. However it all changed when I met you. In your eyes I became someone who stood out among the rest. You made me feel special.'

_It's a new world…it's a new start_

_It's alive with the beating of…young hearts_

_It's a new day…it's a new plan_

_I've been waiting for you_

Ryoma smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Ohtori's lips.

_Here I am_

'I think Carlos death is a lesson for me. Now I know what he was trying to tell me before. It's not ok to be someone's hero all the time. I seriously need someone whom I, in turn, can depend on. I guess he sensed it before that's why he looked content when he died. He knew I'd be able to find someone that I can finally cling on.' Ryoma leaned against Ohtori's warmth as his fingers continued skimming over the piano keys with ease

_Here we are…we've just begun_

_And after all this time…our time has come_

Neither paid attention to the world around them. The sun, the scent of the flowers, their friends looking for them…everything seemed to dim in the background. For the space and time, only two of them existed.

_Yeah here we are…still goin'strong_

_Right here in the place where we belong_

The Ohtori's fingers moved to its own accord, dancing with Ryoma's on the keyboard. He doesn't know the song but somehow his heart knows the right notes to play.

_It's a new world…it's a new start_

_It's alive with the beating of…young hearts_

_It's a new day…it's a new plan_

_I've been waiting for you_

His other arm that was wound around Ryoma held the freshman closer to him. Never wanting to let go of the angel that once flew away from him. It had been so hard living without such person in his life. Never again shall be allowing anything to rip them apart.

_Here I am_

Unbeknownst to them, two pairs of eyes watched them in interest.

"Ahh…so there they are." James said while watching the two.

"Sneaky Ryoma." Sylvan shook his head. He couldn't help but smile though. He has never seen a scene so sweet before.

_Here I am…next to you_

_And suddenly the world is all brand new_

Ryoma took a deep breath, inhaling the scent that's Ohtori's alone. 'I'm so happy. I've never felt like this for a long time. Never shall I be stupid once more and let him go. I may, in the future, but I'll make sure that there'll be a hell of a fight first.'

_Here I am…where I'm gonna stay_

_Now there's nothin standin in our way_

Ohtori couldn't help but smile. Such a playful thing Fate did to them! After all that they've been through, he was able to see, know and understand every aspect of this impetuous boy he's holding in his arms right now. Ryoma Echizen is trouble alright…but he's the kind of risk that Ohtori is willing to take.

_Here I am…this is me_

The song has long ended yet neither moved an inch. Both were content in holding each other, listening to their heart beating in unison.

'Chou-chou…"

"Yes Neko-chan?"

"I love you."

"I know."

"Che! Cocky are we, Mr. Hyotei Anomaly."

"I have all the right to brag Cat-eyes." Ohtori leaned in and whispered against Ryoma's lips.

"I have you."

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

A/N: it's done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the first long, LONG story that I finished. Oh my god…such an achievement!!!!!!!

THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO DEVOTEDLY WAITED CHAPTER AND CHAPTER!!!!!!! I'M AT A LOSS FOR WORDS! I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH!

Give me a week and I will post a story. Thank you for all the advice that you have given me. If it's a sequel of TMTYM, it may not be a song-fic all throughout. The song may come as specials or something. Or it could be the Yuki/Ryo. I still don't know yet. That's why I need a week. Thanks!

ARIGATOU MINNA-SAN!!!!


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